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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT  LOS  ANGELES 


L 


1     Contro 


Th. 


Great  Controversy 


Between  Christ  and  Satan 


The  Conflict  of  the  Ages  in  the 
Christian  Dispensation 


BY  ELLEN  G.  WHITE 

Author  of  "  Patriarchs  and  Prophets,"  "  Desire  of  Ages,"  "  Education," 

"Ministry    of    Healing,"  "Christ's  Object  Lessons,"  "Steps 

to  Christ,"  and  various  other  works 


PACIFIC  PRESS  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION 

Mountain  View,  California 

Portland,   Oregon  Omaha,    Nebraska  Cristobal.    Canal   Zone 

Brookficld,    Illinois    (Foreign-language    publications    only.) 


312.    1 


Y813V01JIlo3   ji>^lO 


Copyright,  l/iSS.  1907,  1911,  by 
Mrs.  E.  G.  White 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 
All  Rights  Reserved 


1928 


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W5i5_^ 


,4 


This  book,  reader,  is  not  published  to  tell  us  that  there 
is  sin  and  woe  and  misery  in  this  world.  We  know  it  all 
too  well. 

This  book  is  not  published  to  tell  us  that  there  is  an 
irreconcilable  controversy  between  darknesS  and  light,  sin 
and  righteousness,  wrong  and  right,  death  and  life.  In  our 
heart  of  hearts  we  know  it,  and  know  that  we  are  partici- 
pators, actors,  in  the  conflict. 

But  to  every  one  of  us  comes  at  times  a  longing  to  know 
more  of  the  great  controversy.  How  did  the  controversy 
begin?  or  was  it  alM'ays  here?  What  elements  enter  into  its 
awfully  complex  aspect?  How  am  I  related  to  it?  What 
is  my  responsibility?  I  find  myself  in  this  world  by  no 
choice  of  my  own.    Does  that  mean  to  me  evil  or  good? 

What  are  the  great  principles  involved?  How  long 
will  the  controversy  continue?  What  will  be  its  ending? 
Will  this  earth  sink,  as  some  scientists  tell  us,  into  the 
depths  of  a  sunless,  frozen,  eternal  night?  or  is  there  a 
better  future  before  it,  radiant  with  the  light  of  life,  warm 
with  the  eternal  love  of  God? 

The  question  comes  closer  still:  How  may  the  con- 
troversy in  my  own  heart,  the  strife  between  inflowing  self- 
ishness and  outgoing  love,  be  settled  in  the  victory  of  good, 
and  settled  forever?  What  does  the  Bible  say?  What  has 
God  to  teach  us  upon  this  question,  eternally  important 
to   every  soul? 

Questions  like  these  meet  us  from  every  side.  They  rise 
insistent  up  from  the  depths  of  our  own  heart.  They 
demand  definite  answer. 

Surely  the  God  who  created  in  us  the  longing  for  the 
better,  the  desire  for  the  truth,  will  not  withhold  from  us 
the  answer  to  all  needed  knowledge;  for  "the  Lord  Je- 
hovah will  do  nothing,  except  He  reveal  His  secret  unto 
His  servants  the  prophets." 


iii 


iH?181 


iv  PREFACE 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  book,  reader,  to  help  the  troubled 
soul  to  a  right  solution  of  all  these  problems.  It  is 
written  by  one  who  has  tasted  and  found  that  God  is 
good,  and  who  has  learned  in  communion  with  God  and 
the  study  of  His  word  that  the  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with 
them  that  fear  Him,  and  that  He  will  show  them  His 
covenant. 

That  we  may  ])etter  understand  the  principles  of  the 
all-important  controversy,  in  which  the  life  of  a  universe 
is  involved,  the  author  has  set  it  before  us  in  great,  con- 
crete object-lessens   of   the   last   twenty   centuries. 

The  book  opens  with  the  sad  closing  scenes  of  Jerusa- 
lem's history,  the  city  of  God's  chosen,  after  her  rejec- 
tion of  the  Man  of  Calvary,  who  came  to  save.  Thence 
onward  along  the  great  highway  of  the  nations,  it  points 
us  to  the  persecutions  of  God's  children  in  the  first  cen- 
turies; the  great  apostasy  which  followed  in  His  church; 
the  world-awakening  of  the  Reformation,  in  which  some 
of  the  great  principles  of  the  controversy  are  clearly  mani- 
fest; the  awful  lesson  of  the  rejection  of  right  principles 
by  France;  the  revival  and  exaltation  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  their  beneficent,  life-saving  influence ;  the  religious 
awakening  of  the  last  days;  the  unsealing  of  the  radiant 
fountain  of  God's  word,  with  its  wonderful  revelations  of 
light  and  knowledge  to  meet  the  baleful  upspringing  of 
every  delusion  of  darkness. 

The  present  impending  conflict,  with  the  vital  prin- 
ciples involved,  in  which  no  one  can  be  neutral,  are  simply, 
lucidly,   strongly  set   forth. 

Last  of  all,  we  are  told  of  the  eternal  and  glorious 
victory  of  good  over  evil,  right  over  wrong,  light  over 
darkness,  joy  over  sorrow,  hope  over  despair,  glory  over 
shame,  life  over  death,  and  everlasting,  long-suffering  love 
over  vindictive  hate. 

Former  editions  of  this  book  have  brought  many  souls  to 
the  True  Shepherd;  it  is  the  prayer  of  the  publishers  that 
this  edition  may  be  even  more  fruitful  of  eternal  good. 

The  Publishers. 


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INTRODUCTION  ji(^^ 


Before  the  entrance  of  sin,  Adam  enjoyed  open  com- 
munion with  his  Maker;  but  since  man  separated  himself 
from  God  by  transgression,  the  human  race  has  been  cut 
off  from  this  high  privilege.  By  the  plan  of  redemption, 
however,  a  way  has  been  opened  whereby  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  may  still  have  connection  with  heaven,  God  has 
communicated  with  men  by  Ilis  Spirit,  and  divine  light  has 
been  imparted  to  the  world  by  revelations  to  His  chosen 
servants.  "Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost."     2  Peter  1:21. 

During  the  first  twenty-five  hundred  years  of  human 
history,  there  was  no  written  revelation.  Those  who  had 
been  taught  of  God,  communicated  their  knowledge  to 
others,  and  it  was  handed  down  from  father  to  sou,  through 
successive  generations.  The  preparation  of  the  written  word 
began  in  the  time  of  Moses.  Inspired  revelations  were 
then  embodied  in  an  inspired  book.  This  work  continued 
during  the  long  period  of  sixteen  hundred  years, —  from 
Moses,  the  historian  of  creation  and  the  law,  to  John,  the 
recorder  of  the  most  sublime  truths  of  the  gospel. 

The  Bible  points  to  God  as  its  author;  yet  it  was  written 
by  human  hands;  and  in  the  varied  style  of  its  different 
books  it  presents  the  charae.tiu-istics  of  the  several  writei-s. 
The  truths  revealed  are  all  "given  by  inspiration  of  God" 
(2  Tim.  3: 10)  ;  yet  they  are  expressed  in  the  words  of  men. 
The  Infinite  One  by  His  Holy  Spirit  has  shed  light  into  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  His  servants.  He  has  given  dreams 
and  visions,  symbols  and  figures;   and   those  to   whom   the 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

truth    was    thus    revealed,    have    themselves    embodied    the 
thought  in  human  language. 

The  ten  commandments  were  spoken  by  God  Himself, 
and  were  written  by  His  own  hand.  They  are  of  divine, 
and  not  of  human  composition.  But  the  Bible,  Avith  its 
God-given  truths  expressed  in  the  language  of  men,  pre- 
sents a  union  of  the  divine  and  the  human.  Such  a  union 
existed  in  the  nature  of  Christ,  who  was  the  Sou  of  God  and 
the  Son  of  man.  Thus  it  is  true  of  the  Bible,  as  it  was  of 
Christ,  that  "the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
us."     John  1:14. 

•Written  in  different  ages,  by  men  who  differed  widely 
in  rank  and  occupation,  and  in  mental  and  spiritual  en- 
dowments^ the  books  of  the  Bible  present  a  wide  contrast 
in  style,  as  well  as  a  diversity  in  the  nature  of  the  sub- 
jects unfolded.  Diff'erent  forms  of  expression  are  employed 
by  different  writers;  often  the  same  truth  is  more  strikingly 
presented  by  one  than  by  another.  And  as  several  writers 
present  a  subject  under  varied  aspects  and  relations,  there 
may  appear,  to  the  superficial,  careless,  or  prejudiced 
reader,  to  be  discrepancy  or  contradiction,  where  the 
thoughtful,  reverent  student,  with  clearer  insight,  discerns 
the  underlying  harmony. 

As  presented  through  different  individuals,  the  truth  is 
brought  out  in  its  varied  aspects.  One  writer  is  more 
strongly  impressed  with  one  phase  of  the  subject;  he  grasps 
those  points  that  harmonize  with  his  experience  or  with 
his  power  of  perception  and  appreciation;  another  seizes 
upon  a  different  phase;  and  each,  under  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  presents  what  is  most  forcibly  impressed 
upon  his  own  mind  —  a  different  aspect  of  the  truth  in 
each,  but  a  perfect  harmony  through  all.  And  the  trutlis 
thus  revealed  unite  to  form  a  perfect  whole,  adapted  to 
meet  the  wants  of  men  in  all  the  circumstances  and  experi- 
ences of  life. 

God  has  been  pleased  to  communicate  His  truth  to  the 
world  by  human  agencies,  and  He  Himself,  by  His  Holy 
Spirit,  qualified  men  and  enabled  them  to  do  this  work. 
He  guided  the  mind  in  the  selection  of  what  to  speak  and 


INTRODUCTION  vii 

what  to  write.  The  treasure  was  intrusted  to  earthen  ves- 
sels, yet  it  is,  none  the  less,  from  Heaven.  The  testimony 
is  conveyed  through  the  imperfect  expression  of  human 
language,  yet  it  is  the  testimony  of  Uod ;  and  the  obedient, 
believing  child  of  God  beholds  in  it  the  glory  of  a  divine 
power,  full  of  grace  and  truth. 

In  His  word,  God  has  committed  to  men  the  knowledge 
necessary  for  salvation.  The  Holy  Scriptures  are  to  be 
accepted  as  an  authoritative,  infallible  revelation  of  His 
will.  They  are  the  standard  of  character,  the  revealer  of 
doctrines,  and  the  test  of  experience.  "Every  scripture 
inspired  of  God  is  also  profitable  for  teaching,  for  reproof, 
for  correction,  for  instruction  which  is  in  righteousness; 
that  the  man  of  God  may  be  complete,  furnished  completely 
unto  every  good  work."    2  Tim.  3:16,  17,  Kevised  Version. 

Yet  the  fact  that  God  has  revealed  His  will  to  men 
through  His  word,  has  not  rendered  needless  the  continued 
presence  and  guiding  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  On  the  contrary, 
the  Spirit  was  promised  by  our  Saviour,  to  open  the  "Word 
to  His  servants,  to  illuminate  and  apply  its  teachings.  And 
since  it  was  the  Spirit  of  God  that  inspired  the  Bible,  it 
is  impossible  that  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit  should  ever  be 
contrary  to  that  of  the  Word. 

The  Spirit  was  not  given  —  nor  can  it  ever  be  bestowed 
—  to  supersede  the  Bible;  for  the  Scriptures  explicitly  state 
that  the  word  of  God  is  the  standard  by  which  all  teach- 
ing and  experience  must  be  tested.  Says  the  apostle  John, 
"Believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they 
are  of  God:  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out 
into  the  world."  1  John  4:1.  And  Isaiah  declares,  "To 
the  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if  they  speak  not  according 
to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them." 
Isa.  8:20. 

Great  reproach  has  been  east  upon  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  by  the  errors  of  a  class  that,  claiming  its  enlighten- 
ment, profess  to  have  no  further  need  of  guidance  from 
the  word  of  God.  They  are  governed  by  impressions  which 
they  regard  as  the  voice  of  God  in  the  soul.     But  the  spirit 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

that  controls  them  is  not  the  Spirit  of  God.  This  following 
of  impressions,  to  the  neglect  of  the  Scriptures,  can  lead 
only  to  confusion,  to  deception  and  ruin.  It  serves  only  to 
further  the  designs  of  the  evil  one.  Since  the  ministry  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  of  vital  importance  to  the  church  of 
Christ,  it  is  one  of  the  devices  of  Satan,  through  the  errors 
of  extremists  and  fanatics,  to  cast  contempt  upon  the  work 
of  the  Spirit,  and  cause  the  people  of  God  to  neglect  this 
source  of  strength  which  our  Lord  Himself  has  provided. 

In  harmony  with  the  word  of  God,  His  Spirit  was  to 
continue  its  work  throughout  tlie  period  of  the  gospel 
dispensation.  During  the  ages  while  the  Scriptures  of 
both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament  Avere  being  given,  the 
Holy  Spirit  did  not  cease  to  communicate  light  to  individ- 
ual minds,  apart  from  the  revelations  to  be  embodied  in 
the  Sacred  Canon.  The  Bible  itself  relates  how,  through  the 
Holy  Spirit,  men  received  warning,  reproof,  counsel,  and 
instruction,  in  matters  in  no  way  relating  to  the  giving  of 
the  Scriptures.  And  mention  is  made  of  prophets  in  dif- 
ferent ages,  of  whose  utterances  nothing  is  recorded.  In 
like  manner,  after  the  close  of  the  canon  of  Scripture,  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  still  to  continue  its  work,  to  enlighten, 
warn,  and  comfort  the  children  of  God. 

Jesus  promised  His  disciples,  "The  Comforter,  which  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  tlie  Father  will  send  in  My  name. 
He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  your 
remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."  "When 
He,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come.  He  w411  guide  you  into 
all  truth:  .  .  .  and  He  will  show  you  things  to  come." 
John  14:26;  16:13.  Scripture  plainly  teaches  that  these 
promises,  so  far  from  being  limited  to  apostolic  days,  ex- 
tend to  the  church  of  Christ  in  all  ages.  The  Saviour 
assures  His  followers,  "I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  Matt.  28:20.  And  Paul  declares 
that  the  gifts  and  manifestations  of  the  Spirit  were  set  in 
the  church  "for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ:  till 
we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge 


INTRODUCTION  ix 

of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure 
of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ. ' '     Eph.  4 :  12,  13. 

For  the  believers  at  Ephesus  the  apostle  prayed,  "That 
the  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may 
give  unto  you  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the 
knowledge  of  Him :  the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being 
enlightened;  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  His 
calling,  and  .  .  .  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  His 
power  to  US-ward  who  believe. ' '  Eph.  1 :  17-19.  The  min- 
istry of  the  divine  Spirit  in  enlightening  the  understanding 
and  opening  to  the  mind  the  deep  things  of  God's  holy 
word,  was  the  blessing  which  Paul  thus  besought  for  the 
Ephesian   church. 

After  the  wonderful  manifestation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  Peter  exhorted  the  people  to  repent- 
ance and  baptism  in  the  name  of  Christ,  for  the  remission 
of  their  sins;  and  he  said:  "Ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your 
children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call."    Acts  2:  38,  39. 

In  immediate  connection  with  the  scenes  of  the  great 
day  of  God,  the  Lord  by  the  prophet  Joel  has  promised  a 
special  manifestation  of  His  Spirit.  Joel  2 :  28.  This  proph- 
ecy received  a  partial  fulfilment  in  the  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost;  but  it  will  reach  its  full 
accomplishment  in  the  manifestation  of  divine  grace  which 
will  attend  the  closing  work  of  the  gospel. 

The  great  controversy  between  good  and  evil  will  in- 
crease in  intensity  to  the  very  close  of  time.  In  all  ages 
tlie  wrath  of  Satan  has  been  manifested  against  the  church 
of  Christ;  and  God  has  bestowed  His  grace  and  Spirit  upon 
His  people  to  strengthen  them  to  stand  against  the  power  of 
the  evil  one.  When  the  apostles  of  Christ  were  to  bear 
His  gospel  to  the  world  and  to  record  it  for  all  future  ages, 
they  were  especially  endowed  with  the  enlightenment  of  the 
Spirit.  But  as  the  church  approaches  her  final  deliverance, 
Satan  is  to  work  with  greater  power.  He  comes  down  "hav- 
ing great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth   that  he  hath   but   a 


X  INTRODUCTION 

short  time. ' '  Rev.  12 :  12.  He  will  work  ' '  with  all  power 
and  signs  and  lying  wonders. ' '  2  Thess,  2 :  9.  For  six  thou- 
sand years  that  master-mind  that  once  was  highest  among 
the  angels  of  God,  has  been  wholly  bent  to  the  work  of 
deception  and  ruin.  And  all  the  depths  of  satanic  skill 
and  subtlety  acquired,  all  the  cruelty  developed,  during 
these  struggles  of  the  ages,  will  be  brought  to  bear  against 
God's  people  in  the  final  conflict.  And  in  this  time  of  peril 
the  followers  of  Christ  are  to  bear  to  the  world  the 
warning  of  the  Lord's  second  advent;  and  a  people  are 
to  be  prepared  to  stand  before  Him  at  flis  coming,  "with- 
out spot,  and  blameless."  2  Peter  3:14.  At  this  time  the 
special  endowment  of  divine  grace  and  power  is  not  less 
needful  to  the  church  than  in  apostolic  days. 

Through  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  scenes 
of  the  long-continued  conflict  between  good  and  evil  have 
been  opened  to  the  writer  of  these  pages.  From  time  to 
time  I  have  been  permitted  to  behold  the  working,  in  dif- 
ferent ages,  of  the  great  controversy  between  Christ,  the 
Prince  of  life,  the  Author  of  our  salvation,  and  Satan,  the 
prince  of  evil,  the  author  of  sin,  the  first  transgressor  of 
God's  holy  law.  Satan's  enmity  against  Christ  has  been 
manifested  against  His  followers.  The  same  hatred  of  the 
principles  of  God's  law,  the  same  policy  of  deception,  by 
which  error  is  made  to  appear  as  truth,  by  which  human 
laws  are  substituted  for  the  law  of  God,  and  men  are  led 
to  worship  the  creature  rather  than  the  Creator,  may  be 
traced  in  all  the  history  of  the  past.  Satan's  efforts  to  mis- 
represent  the  character  of  God,  to  cause  men  to  cherish  a 
false  conception  of  the  Creator,  and  thus  to  regard  Him 
with  fear  and  hate  rather  than  with  love;  his  endeavors 
to  set  aside  the  divine  law,  leading  the  people  to  think 
themselves  free  from  its  requirements;  and  his  persecution 
of  those  who  dare  to  resist  his  deceptions,  have  been  stead- 
fastly pursued  in  all  ages.  They  may  be  traced  in  the 
history  of  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  of  martyrs 
and  reformers. 


INTRODUCTION  » 

In  the  great  final  conflict,  Satan  will  employ  the  same 
policy,  manifest  the  same  spirit,  and  work  for  the  same 
end,  as  in  all  preceding  ages.  That  which  has  been,  will 
be,  except  that  the  coming  struggle  will  be  marked  with  a 
terrible  intensity  such  as  the  w^orld  has  never  witnessed. 
Satan's  deceptions  will  be  more  subtle,  his  assaults  more 
determined.  If  it  were  possible,  he  would  lead  astray  the 
elect.     Mark  13  :  22,  Revised  Version. 

As  the  Spirit  of  God  has  opened  to  my  mind  the  great 
truths  of  His  word,  and  the  scenes  of  the  past  and  the 
future,  I  have  been  bidden  to  make  known  to  others  that 
which  has  thus  been  revealed, —  to  trace  the  history  of  the 
controversy  in  past  ages,  and  especially  so  to  present  it 
as  to  shed  a  light  on  the  fast-approaching  struggle  of  the 
future.  In  pursuance  of  tliis  purpose,  I  have  endeavored 
to  select  and  group  together  events  in  the  history  of  the 
church  in  such  a  manner  as  to  trace  the  unfolding  of  the 
great  testing  truths  that  at  different  periods  have  been 
given  to  the  world,  that  have  excited  the  wrath  of  Satan, 
and  the  enmity  of  a  world-loving  church,  and  that  have 
been  maintained  by  the  witness  of  those  who  "loved  not 
their  lives  unto  the  death." 

In  these  records  we  may  see  a  foreshadowing  of  the  con- 
flict before  us.  Regarding  them  in  the  light  of  God's  word, 
and  by  the  illumination  of  His  Spirit,  we  may  see  unveiled 
the  devices  of  the  wicked  one,  and  the  dangers  which  they 
must  shun  who  would  be  found  "without  fault"  before  the 
Lord  at  His  coming. 

The  great  events  which  have  marked  the  progress  of 
reform  in  past  ages,  are  matters  of  history,  well  knowTi  and 
universally  acknowledged  by  the  Protestant  world;  they 
are  facts  which  none  can  gainsay.  This  history  I  have  pre- 
sented briefly,  in  accordance  with  the  scope  of  the  book, 
and  the  brevity  which  must  necessarily  be  observed,  the 
facts  having  been  condensed  into  as  little  space  as  seemed 
consistent  with  a  proper  understanding  of  their  application. 
In  some  cases  where   a  historian  has  so   grouped   together 


XU  INTRODUCTION 

events  as  to  afford,  in  brief,  a  comprehensive  view  of  the 
subject,  or  has  summarized  details  in  a  convenient  manner, 
h^s  w^jrds  have  been  quoted ;  but  in  some  instances  no 
specific  credit  has  been  given,  since  the  quotations  are  not 
given  for  the  purpose  of  citing  that  writer  as  authority,  but 
because  his  statement  affords  a  ready  and  forcible  presenta- 
tion of  the  subject.  In  narrating  the  experience  and  views 
of  those  carrying  forward  the  work  of  reform  in  our  own 
time,  similar  use  has  been  made  of  their  i)ublislied  works. 
It  is  not  so  much  the  object  of  this  book  to  present  new 
truths  concerning  the  struggles  of  former  times,  as  to  bring 
out  facts  and  principles  which  have  a  bearing  on  coming 
events.  Yet  viewed  as  a  part  of  the  controversy  between 
the  forces  of  light  and  darkness,  all  these  records  of  ^he 
past  are  seen  to  have  a  new  significance ;  and  through  them 
a  light  is  cast  upon  the  future,  illumining  the  pathway  of 
those  who,  like  the  reformers  of  past  ages,  will  be  called, 
even  at  the  peril  of  all  earthly  good,  to  witness  "for  the 
word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ." 
"To  unfold  the  scenes  of  the  great  controversy  between 
truth  and  error;  to  reveal  the  wiles  of  Satan,  and  the 
means  by  which  he  may  be  successfully  resisted;  to  present 
a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  great  problem  of  evil,  shedding 
such  a  light  upon  the  origin  and  the  final  disposition  of  sin 
as  to  make  fully  manifest  the  justice -and  benevolence  of 
God  in  all  His  dealings  with  His  creatures;  and  to  show  the 
holy,  unchanging  nature  of  His  law,  is  the  object  of  this 
book.  That  through  its  influence  souls  may  be  delivere<l 
from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  ])ecome  "partakers  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,"  to  the  praise  of  Him 
who  loved  us,  and  gave  Himself  for  us,  is  the  earnest 
prayer  of  the  writer. 

E.    G.    W. 


u 
It. 


igT?  Go?  Co?  [T5?  cT-go'^^xro  ^g°D  ^^rt)  ^CT)  ':nj« 


H?»iS' 


IMCON  T"E  N  f  ^ii 


I  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem         -  -        17 

II  Persecution  in  the  First  Centuries       -  89 

III  The  Apostasy    -----        49 

IV  The  Waldenses       -            -            -            -  61 

V  John  Wyclippe             -            -            -  -        79 

VI  IIuss  and  Jerome    -            -            -            .  97 

VII  Luther's  Separation  prom  Rome      -  -       120 

VIII  Luther  Bepore  the  Diet  -            -            -  145 

IX  The  Swiss  Repormer    -            -            -  .       171 

X  Progress  of  Reform  in  Germany  -            -  185 

XI  Protest  of  the  Princes          -            -  -      197 

XII  The  French  Reformation            -            -  211 

XIII  The  Netherlands  and  Scandinavia   -  -      287 

XIV  Later  English  Reformers             -            -  245 

XV  The  Bible  and  the  French  Revolution  -      265 

XVI  The  Pilgrim  Fathers         -            -            -  289 

XVII  Heralds  of  the  Morning        ...      299 

XVIII  An  American  Reformer    -            -           -  817 

XIX  Light  Through  Darkness      -            -  .      343 

XX  A  Great  Religious  Awakening    -           -  355 

XXI  A  Warning  Rejected               -            -  .      375 

XXII  Prophecies  Fulfilled        ...  391 

XXIII  What  Is  the  Sanctuary?      ^           .  -      409 


PV- -  CONTENTS 

XXIV  In  the  Holy  of  Holies 

XXV  God's  Law  Immutable 

XXVI  A  Work  of  Reform 

XXVII  Modern  Revivals 

XXVIII  The  Investigative  Judgment 

XXIX  The  Origin  of  Evil 

XXX  Enmity  Between  Man  and  Satan 

XXXI  Agency  of  Evil  Spirits 

XXXII  Snares  of  Satan     - 

XXXIII  The  First  Great  Deception 

XXXIV  Spiritualism 

XXXV  Aims  of  the  Papacy 

XXXVI  The  Impending  Conflict     - 

XXXVII  The  Scriptures  a  Safeguard    - 

XXXVIII  The  Final  Warning 

XXXIX  "The  Time  of  Trouble" 
XL  God's  People  Delivered 
XLI  Desolation  of  the  Earth 
XLII  The  Controversy  Ended    - 

Appendix 

Index  of  Scripture  References 

General  Index  ... 


423 
433 
451 
461 
479 
492 
505 
511 
518 
531 
551 
563 
582 
593 
603 
613 
635 
653 
662 

679 
691 
697 


\)^ 


v^ 


\\ 


,^\ 


y\ 


THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  dERUSALEM-1      • 

"If  thou  hadst  kno^^^l,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy 
day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace!  but  now 
they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  For  the  days  shall  come  upon 
thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and 
compass  thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and 
shall  lay  tliee  even  with  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within 
thee;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  an- 
other; because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation."" 

From  the  crest  of  Olivet,  Jesus  looked  upon  Jerusalem. 
Fair  and  peaceful  was  the  scene  spread  out  before  Him,  Jt 
was  the  season  of  the  Passover,  and  from  all  lands  the  chil- 
dren of  Jacob  had  gathered  there  to  celebrate  the  great  na- 
tional festival.  In  the  midst  of  gardens  and  vineyards,  and 
green  slopes  studded  with  pilgrims'  tents,  rose  the  terraced 
hills,  the  stately  palaces,  and  massive  bulwarks  of  Israel's 
capital.  Tlie  daughter  of  Zion  seemed  in  her  pride  to  say, 
"I  sit  a  queen,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow;"  as  lovely  then,  and 
deeming  herself  as  secure  in  Heaven's  favor,  as  when,  ages 
before,  the  royal  minstrel  sung,  "Beautiful  for  situation,  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth,  is  ]\Iount  Zion,  .  .  .  the  city  of  the 
great  King. "  *  In  full  view  were  the  magnificent  buildings 
of  the  temple.  The  rays  of  the  setting  sun  lighted  up  the 
snowy  whiteness  of  its  marble  walls,  and  gleamed  from 
golden  gate  and  tower  and  pinnacle.  "The  perfection  of 
«Luke  19:42-44.  »Ps.  48:2. 

(17) 


18  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

beauty"  it  stood,  the  pride  of  the  Jewish  nation.  What 
child  of  Israel  could  gaze  upon  the  scene  without  a  thrill 
of  joy  and  admiration !  But  far  other  thoughts  occupied 
the  mind  of  Jesus.  ''When  He  was  come  near,  He  beheld 
the  city,  and  wept  over  it."*  Amid  the  universal  rejoicing 
of  the  triumphal  entry,  while  palm  branches  waved,  while 
glad  hosannas  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  hills,  and  thousands  of 
voices  declared  Him  king,  the  world's  Redeemer  was  over- 
whelmed with  a  sudden  and  mysterious  sorrow.  He,  the  Son 
of  God,  the  Promised  One  of  Israel,  -whose  power  h^d  con- 
quered death,  and  called  its  captives  from  the  grave,  was 
in  tears,  not  of  ordinary  grief,  but  of  intelise,  irrepressible 
agony. 

His  tears  were  not  for  Himself,  though  He  well  knew 
whither  His  feet  were  tending.  Before  Him  lay  Gethsemane, 
the  scene  of  His  approaching  agony.  The  sheep  gate  also 
^as  in  sight,  "through  which  for  centuries  the  victims  for 
sacrifice  had  been  led,  and  which  was  to  open  for  Him  when 
He  should  be  "brouglit  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter."'  Not 
far  distant  was  Calvary,  the  place  of  crucifixion.  Upon  the 
path  which  Christ  was  soon  to  tread  must  fall  the  horror  of 
great  darkness  as  He  should  make  His  soul  an  offering  for 
siii.  Yet  it  was  not  the  contemplation  of  these  scenes  that 
cast  the  shadow  upon  Him  in  this  hour  of  gladness.  No 
foreboding  of  His  ovm  superhuman  anguish  clouded  that 
unselfish  spirit.  He  wept  for  the  doomed  thousands  of 
Jerusalem  —  because  of  the  blindness  and  impenitence  of 
those  whom  He  came  to  bless  and  to  save. 
'"''The  history  of  more  than  a  thousand  years  of  God's 
special  favor  and  guardian  care,  manifested  to  the  chosen 
people,  was  open  to  the  eye  of  Jesus.  There  was  ]\Iount 
IMoriah,  where  the  son  of  promise,  an  unresisting  victim, 
had  been  bound  to  the  altar, —  emblem  of  the  offering  of  the 
Son  of  God.'  There,  the  covenant  of  blessing,  the  glorious 
Messianic  promise,  had  been  confirmed  to  the  father  of  the 
faithful.'  There,  the  flames  of  the  sacrifice  ascending  to 
» Luke  19:41.  =Isa.  53:7.  "6611.22:9,16-18. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  19 

heaven  from  the  threshing-floor  of  Oman  had  turned  aside 
the  sword  of  the  destroying  angel ' —  fitting  symbol  of  the 
Saviour's  sacrifice  and  mediation  for  guilty  men.  Jerusa- 
lem had  been  honored  of  God  above  all  the  earth.  The 
Lord  had  "chosen  Zion,"  He  had  "desired  it  for  His  habi- 
tation. ' ' "  There,  for  ages,  holy  prophets  had  uttered  their 
messages  of  warning.  There,  priests  had  waved  their  censers, 
and  the  cloud  of  incense,  with  the  prayers  of  the  w^orshipers, 
had  ascended  before  God.  There,  daily  the  blood  of  slain 
lambs  had  been  offered,  pointing  forward  to  the  Lamb  of 
God.  There,  Jeliovali  had  revealed  His  presence  in  the  cloud 
of  glory  above,  the  mercy-seat.  There,  rested  the  base  of 
that  mystic  ladder  connecting  earth  with  heaven,' —  that  lad- 
der upon  which  angels  of  God  descended  and  ascended,  and 
which  opened  to  the  world  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all. 
Had  Israel  as  a  nation  preserved  her  allegiance  to  Heaven, 
Jerusalem  would  have  stood  forever,  the  elect  of  God.*  But 
the  history  of  that  favored  people  was  a  record  of  back- 
sliding and  rebellion.  They  had  resisted  Heaven's  grace, 
abused  their  privileges,  and  slighted  their  opportunities.     ., 

Although  Israel  had  "mocked  the  messengers  of  God,  and 
despised  His  words,  and  misused  His  prophets, ' ' "  He  had 
still  manifested  Himself  to  them,  as  "the  Lord  God,  mer; 
ciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  truth;"*  notwitlistanding  repeated  rejections,  His  mercy 
had  continued  its  pleadings.  With  more  than  a  father's 
pitying  love  for  the  son  of  his  care,  God  had  "sent  to  theral 
by  His  messengers,  rising  up  betimes,  and  sending;  because 
He  had  compassion  on  His  people,  and  on  His  dwelling- 
place.""  When  remonstrance,  entreaty,  and  rebuke  had 
failed.  He  sent  to  them  the  best  gift  of  heaven;  nay.  He 
poured  out  all  heaven  in  that  one  Gift. 

The  Son  of  God  Himself  was  sent  to  plead  with  the 
impenitent  city.  It  was  Christ  that  had  brought  Israel 
as  a  goodly  vine  out  of  Egypt.^     His  own  hand  had  east 

»1  Chronicleg  21.  ='Pg.   132:13.  »Oen.   28:12;    John    1:51. 

•Jer.  17:21-25.      »2  Chron.  36:16,  15.       «Ex.  34:6.        'Ps.  80:8. 


20  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

out  the  heathen  before  it.  He  had  planted  it  ''in  a  very 
fruitful  hill. ' ' '  His  guardian  care  had  hedged  it  about. 
His  servants  had  been  sent  to  nurture  it.  "What  could 
have  been  done  more  to  My  vineyard,"  He  exclaims,  "that 
I  have  not  done  in  it?"'  Though  when  He  "looked  that 
it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes,"* 
yet  with  a  still  yearning  hope  of  fruitfulness  He  came  in 
person  to  His  vineyard,  if  haply  it  might  be  saved  from 
destruetion.  He  digged  about  His  vine;  He  pruned  and 
cherished  it.  He  was  unwearied  in  His  efforts  to  save  this 
vine  of  His  own  planting. 

For  three  years  the  Lord  of  light  and  glory  had  gone  in 
and  out  among  His  people.  He  "went  about  doing  good,  and 
healing  all  that  wore  oppressed  of  the  devil,""  binding  up 
the  broken-hearted,  setting  at  liberty  them  that  were  bound, 
restoring  sight  to  the  blind,  causing  the  lame  to  walk  and 
the  deaf  to  hear,  cleansing  the  lepers,  raising  the  dead,  and 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  poor.'  To  all  classes  alike  was 
addressed  the  gracious  call,  "Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. ' '  * 

Though  rewarded  with  evil  for  good,  and  hatred  for  His 
love,*  He  had  steadfastly  pursued  His  mission  of  mercy. 
Never  were  those  repelled  that  sought  His  grace.  A  home- 
less wanderer,  reproach  and  penury  His  daily  lot.  He  lived 
to  minister  to  the  needs  and  lighten  the  woes  of  men,  to 
plead  with  them  to  accept  the  gift  of  life.  The  waves  of 
mercy,  beaten  back  by  those  stubborn  hearts,  returned  in  a 
stronger  tide  of  pitying,  inexpressi])le  love.  But  Israel  had 
turned  from  her  best  Friend  and  only  Helper.  The  plead- 
ings of  His  love  had  been  despised,  His  counsels  spurned, 
His  warnings  ridiculed. 

The  hour  of  hope  and  pardon  was  fast  passing;  the  cup 
of  God's  long-deferred  wrath  was  almost  full.  The  cloud 
that  had  been  gathering  through  ages  of  apostasy  and  rebel- 
lion, now  black  with  woe,  was  about  to  burst  upon  a  guilty 

^Isa.  5:1-4.  »Acta  10:38;  Luke  4:18;  Matt.  11:5. 

'Matt.  11:28.  *P8.  109:5. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  21 

people;  and  He  who  alone  could  save  them  from  their 
impending  fate  had  been  slighted,  abused,  rejected,  and 
was  soon  to  be  crucified.  When  Christ  should  hang  upon 
the  cross  of  Calvary,  Israel's  day  as  a  nation  favored  and 
blessed  of  God  would  be  ended.  The  loss  of  even  one  soul 
is  a  calamity  infinitely  outweighing  the  gains  and  treas- 
ures of  a  world;  but  as  Christ  looked  upon  Jerusalem,  the 
doom  of  a  whole  city,  a  whole  nation,  was  before  Him, — 
that  city,  that  nation,  which  had  once  been  the  chosen  of 
God,  His  peculiar  treasure. 

Prophets  had  wept  over  the  apostasy  of  Israel,  and  the 
terrible  desolations  by  which  their  sins  were  visited.  Jere- 
miah wished  that  his  eyes  were  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  he 
might  weep  day  and  night  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of 
his  people,  for  the  Lord's  flock  that  was  carried  away  cap- 
tive.* What,  then,  was  the  grief  of  Him  whose  prophetic 
glance  took  in,  not  years,  but  ages!  He  beheld  the  destroy- 
ing angel  with  sword  uplifted  against  the  city  which  had 
so  long  been  Jehovah's  dwelling-place.  From  the  ridge  of 
Olivet,  the  very  spot  afterward  occupied  by  Titus  and  his 
army,  He  looked  across  the  valley  upon  the  sacred  courts 
and  porticoes,  and  with  tear-dimmed  eyes  He  saw,  in  awful 
perspective,  the  walls  surrounded  by  alien  hosts.  He  heard 
the  tread  of  armies  marshaling  for  war.  He  heard  the  voice 
of  mothers  and  children  crying  for  bread  in  the  besieged 
city.  He  saw  her  holy  and  beautiful  house,  her  palaces  and 
towers,  given  to  the  flames,  and  where  once  they  stood,  only 
a  heap  of  smouldering  ruins. 

Looking  down  the  ages.  He  saw  the  covenant  people  scat- 
tered in  every  land,  ''like  wrecks  on  a  desert  shore."  In 
the  temporal  retribution  about  to  fall  upon  her  children, 
He  saw  but  the  first  draught  from  that  cup^qf  jvvrath  whifiji 
at  the  final  judgment  she  must  drain  to  its  dregs.  Divine 
pity,  yearning  love,  found  utterance  in  the  mournful  words: 
*'  '0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets, 
and  stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would 
»Jer.  9:1;   13:17. 


22  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gath- 
ereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not ! ' ' 
0  that  thou,  a  nation  favored  above  every  other,  hadst 
known  the  time  of  thy  visitation,  and  the  things  that  be- 
long unto  thy  peace !  I  have  stayed  the  angel  of  justice,  I 
have  called  thee  to  repentance,  but  in  vain.  It  is  not 
merely  servants,  delegates,  and  prophets,  whom  thou  hast 
refused  and  rejected,  but  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Re- 
deemer. If  thou  art  destroyed,  thou  alone  art  responsible. 
*  Ye  will  not  come  to  Me,  that  ye  might  have  life. "'  " 

Christ  saw  in  Jerusalem  a  symbol  of  the  world  hardened 
in  unbelief  and  rebellion,  and  hastening  on  to  meet  the 
retributive  judgments  of  God.  The  woes  of  a  fallen  race, 
pressing  upon  Ilis  soul,  forced  from  His  lips  that  exceed- 
ing bitter  cry.  He  saw  the  record  of  sin  traced  in  human 
misery,  tears,  and  blood;  His  heart  was  moved  with  infinite 
pity  for  the  afflicted  and  suffering  ones  of  earth;  He  yearned 
to  relieve  them  all.  But  even  His  hand  might  not  turn 
back  the  tide  of  human  woe;  few  would  seek  their  only 
Source  of  help.  He  was  willing  to  pour  out  His  soul  unto 
death,  to  bring  salvation  within  their  reach;  but  few  would 
come  to  Him  that  they  might  have  life. 

The  Majesty  of  heaven  in  tears!  the  Son  of  the  infinite 
God  troubled  in  spirit,  bowed  down  with  anguish!  The 
scene  filled  all  heaven  with  wonder.  That  scene  reveals  io 
us  llic  cxccM'dinii'  sinfulness  of  sin;  it  ,jgh02;sjjgjjj[iaj;ii^ 
task  it  is,  vwn  U>r  infinite  power,  to  save  ^^"  fflliity  ^^"^"^  t^" 
consc4u<'n<-('s  ol'  t!'aiis,urrssiuy  the  law  ut'  Liod.  Jesus,  look- 
ing down  to  the  last  generation,  saw  the  world  involved  in 
a  deception  similar  to  that  which  caused  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  The  great  sin  of  the  Jews  was  their, y^^jgfi^iflft  of 
^rist;  tlie  gwat  sin  of  the  Christian  world  would  be  their 
re-jectioD  of  tlie  law  of  God,  the  foundation  of  His  govern- 
laent  in  lieaven  and  eartli.  The  precepts  of  Jehovah  would 
be  despised  and  set  at  naught.  Millions  in  bondage  to  sin, 
slaves  of  Satan,  doomed  to  suffer  the  second  death,  would 
»Matt.  23:37.  =  Jolin  5:40. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  23 

refuse  to  listen  to  the  words  of  truth  in  their  day  of  visita- 
tion.    Terrible  blindness!  strange  infatuation! 

Two  days  before  the  Passover,  when  Christ  had  for  the 
last  time  departed  from  the  temple,  after  denouncing  the 
hypocrisy  of  the  Jewish  rulers.  He  again  went  out  with  His 
disciples  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  seated  Himself  with 
them  upon  the  grassy  slope  overlooking  the  city.  Once  more 
He  gazed  upon  its  walls,  its  towers,  and  its  palaces.  Once 
more  He  beheld  the  temple  in  its  dazzling  splendor,  a  dia- 
dem of  beauty  crowning  the  sacred  mount. 

A  thousand  years  before,  the  psalmist  had  magnified 
God's  favor  to  Israel  in  making  her  holy  house  His  dwell- 
ing-place: "In  Salem  also  is  His  tabernacle,  and  His 
dwelling-place  in  Zion."'  Pie  "chose  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
the  Mount  Zion  which  He  loved.  And  He  built  His  sanc- 
tuary like  high  palaces."*  The  first  temple  had  been  erected 
during  the  most  prosperous  period  of  Israel's  history.  Vast 
stores  of  treasure  for  this  purpose  had  been  collected  by 
King  David,  and  the  plans  for  its  construction  were  made 
by  divine  inspiration."  Solomon,  the  wisest  of  Israel's 
monarchs,  had  completed  the  work.  This  temple  was  the 
most  magnificent  building  which  the  world  ever  saw.  Yet 
the  Lord  had  declared  by  the  prophet  Haggai,  concerning 
the  second  temple,  "The  glory  of  this  latter  house  shall 
be  greater  than  of  the  former."  "I  will  shake  all  nations, 
and  the  Desire  of  all  nations  shall  come:  and  I  will  fill 
this  house  with  glory,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'" 

After  the  destruction  of  the  temple  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
it  was  rebuilt  about  five  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ,  by  a  people  who  from  a  life-long  captivity  had 
returned  to  a  wasted  and  almost  deserted  country.  There 
were  then  among  them  aged  men  Avho  had  seen  the  glory 
of  Solomon's  temple,  and  who  wept  at  the  foundation  of 
the  new  building,  that  it  must  be  so  inferior  to  the  former. 
The  feeling  that  prevailed  is  forcibly  descril)ed  by  the 
prophet:  "Who  is  left  among  you  that  saw  this  house  in 
'Ps.  76:2;  78:68,  69.        '1  Chron.  28:12,  19.        'Haggai  2:9,  7. 


24  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

her  first  glory?  and  how  do  ye  see  it  now?  is  it  not  in 
your  eyes  in  comparison  of  it  as  nothing  ? " '  Then  was 
given  the  promise  that  the  glory  of  this  latter  house  should 
be  greater  than  that  of  the  former. 

But  the  second  temple  had  not  equaled  the  first  in  mag- 
nificence; nor  was  it  hallowed  by  those  visible  tokens  of  the 
divine  presence  which  pertained  to  the  first  temple.  There 
was  no  manifestation  of  supernatural  power  to  mark  its 
dedication.  No  cloud  of  glory  was  seen  to  fill  the  newly 
erected  sanctuary.  No  fire  from  heaven  descended  to  con- 
sume the  sacrifice  upon  its  altar.  The  shekinah  no  longer 
abode  between  the  cherubim  in  the  most  holy  place;  the 
ark,  the  mercy-seat,  and  the  tables  of  the  testimony  were 
not  to  be  found  therein.  No  voice  sounded  from  heaven  to 
make  known  to  the  inquiring  priest  the  will  of  Jehovah. 

For  centuries  the  Jews  had  vainly  endeavored  to  show 
wherein  the  promise  of  God  given  by  Haggai,  had  been  ful- 
filled ;  yet  pride  and  unbelief  blinded  their  minds  to  the 
true  meaning  of  the  prophet's  words.  The  second  temple 
was  not  honored  with  the  cloud  of  Jehovah's  glory,  but  with 
the  living  presence  of  One  in  whom  dwelt  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily  —  who  was  God  Himself  manifest  in  the 
flesh.  The  "Desire  of  all  nations"  had  indeed  come  to  His 
temple  when  the  JNIan  of  Nazareth  taught  and  healed  in  the 
sacred  courts.  In  the  presence  of  Christ,  and  in  this  only, 
did  the  second  temple  exceed  the  first  in  glory.  But  Israel 
had  put  from  her  the  proffered  Gift  of  heaven.  With  the 
humble  Teacher  who  had  that  day  passed  out  from  its 
golden  gate,  the  glory  had  forever  departed  from  the  temple. 
Already  were  the  Saviour's  words  fulfilled,  "Your  house  is 
left  unto  you  desolate. ' '  ^ 

The  disciples  had  been  filled  ^nth  awe  and  wonder  at 
Christ's  prediction  of  the  overthrow  of  the  temple,  and  they 
desired  to  understand  more  fully  the  meaning  of  His  words. 
Wealth,  labor,  and  architectural  skill  had  for  more  than 
forty  years  been  freely  expended  to  enhance  its  splendors. 
1  Haggai  2:3;  Ezra  3:12.  'Matt,  23:38. 


DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM  25 

Herod  the  Great  had  lavished  upon  it  both  Roman  wealth 
and  Jewish  treasure,  and  even  the  emperor  of  the  world  had 
enriched  it  with  his  gifts.  Massive  blocks  of  white  marble, 
of  almost  fabulous  size,  forwarded  from  Rome  for  this  pur^ 
pose,  formed  a  part  of  its  structure;  and  to  these  the  dis- 
ciples had  called  the  attention  of  their  Master,  saying,  "See 
what  manner  of  stones  and  what  buildings  are  here!"' 

To  these  words,  Jesus  made  the  solemn  and  startling 
reply,  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  shall  not  be  left  here 
one  stone  upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down. ' ' ' 

With  the  overthrow  of  Jenisalem  the  disciples  associated 
the  events  of  Christ's  personal  coming  in  temporal  glory  to 
take  the  throne  of  universal  empire,  to  punish  the  impeni- 
tent Jews,  and  to  break  from  otf  the  nation  the  Roman  yoke. 
The  Lord  had  told  them  that  He  would  come  the  second 
time.  Hence  at  the  mention  of  judgments  upon  Jerusalem, 
their  minds  reverted  to  that  coming;  and  as  they  were  gath- 
ered about  the  Saviour  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  they 
asked,  "When  shall  these  things  be?  and  what  shall  be  the 
sign  of  Thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world?"' 

The  future  was  mercifully  veiled  from  the  disciples.  Had 
they  at  that  time  fully  comprehended  the  two  awful  facts, — ■ 
the  Redeemer's  sufferings  and  death,  and  the  destruction  of 
their  city  and  temple, —  they  would  have  been  overwhelmed 
with  horror.  Christ  presented  before  them  an  outline  of  the 
prominent  events  to  take  place  before  the  close  of  time.  His 
words  were  not  then  fully  understood;  but  their  meaning 
was  to  be  unfolded  as  His  people  should  need  the  instruction 
therein  given.  The  ])rophecy  which  He  uttered  was  twofold 
in  its  meaning :  while  foreshado\\ing  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, it  prefigured  also  the  terrors  of  the  last  great  day. 

Jesus  declared  to  the  listening  disciples  the  judgments 
that  were  to  fall  upon  apostate  Israel,  and  especially  the 
retributive  vengeance  that  would  come  upon  them  for  their 
rejection  and  crucifixion  of  the  Messiah.  Unmistakable  signs 
would  precede  the  awful  climax.  The  dreaded  hour  would 
>Mark  13:1.  'Matt.  24:2,3. 


26  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

dome  suddenly  and  swiftly.  And  the  Saviour  warned  His 
followers:  "When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the  abomination  of 
desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  stand  in  the 
holy  place,  (whoso  readeth,  let  him  understand:)  then  let 
them  which  be  in  Judea  flee  into  the  mountains. ' '  ^  When 
the  idolatrous  standards  of  the  Romans  should  be  set  up  in 
the  holy  ground,  which  extended  some  furlongs  outside  the 
city  walls,  then  the  followers  of  Christ  were  to  find  safety  in 
flight.  When  the  warning  sign  should  be  seen,  those  who 
would  escape  must  make  no  delay.  Throughout  the  land 
of  Judea,  as  well  as  in  Jerusalem  itself,  the  signal  for  flight 
must  be  immediately  obeyed.  He  who  chanced  to  be  upon 
the  housetop  must  not  go  down  into  his  house,  even  to  save 
his  most  valued  treasures.  Those  who  were  working  in  the 
fields  or  vineyards  must  not  take  time  to  return  for  the 
outer  garment  laid  aside  while  they  should  be  toiling  in 
the  heat  of  the  day.  They  must  not  hesitate  a  moment, 
lest  they  be  involved  in  the  general  destruction. 

In  the  reign  of  Herod,  Jerusalem  had  not  only  been 
greatly  beautified,  but  by  the  erection  of  towers,  walls,  and 
fortresses,  adding  to  the  natural  strength  of  its  situation,  it 
had  been  rendered  apparently  impregnable.  He  who  would 
at  this  time  have  foretold  publicly  its  destruction,  would, 
like  Noah  in  \)is  day,  have  been  called  a  crazed  alarmist. 
But  Christ  had  said,  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  My  words  shall  not  pass  away. ' ' "  -Because  of  her 
sins,  wrath  had  been  deaounced  against  Jerusalem,  and  her 
stubborn  unbelief  renderea  ]ier  doom  certain. 

The  Lord  had  declared  .y  the  prophet  INFicah:  "Hear 
this,  I  pray  you,  ye  heads  of  tin  house  of  Jacob,  and  princes 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  that  abhu.  judgment,  and  pervert  all 
equity.  They  build  up  Zion  withi)iood,  and  Jerusalem  with 
iniquity.  The  heads  thereof  juc^e  for  reward,  and  the 
priests  thereof  teach  for  hire,  and  the  prophets  thereof  di- 
vine for  money:  yet  will  they  lean  Ujon  the  Lord,  and  say, 
Is  not  the  Lord  among  us?  none  evi  can  come  upon  us."* 

»Matt.  24:15,16;  Luke  21:20.        'Matt.  >4. 35,       sMicah  3:9-11. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  27 

These  words  faithfully  deseril)ed  the  corrupt  and  self- 
righteous  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  "While  claiming  to 
observe  rigidly  tlio  precepts  of  God's  law,  they  were  trans- 
gressing all  its  principles.  They  hated  Christ  because  His 
purity  and  holiness  revealed  their  iniquity;  and  they  accused 
Him  of  being  the  cause  of  all  the  troubles  which  had  come 
upon  them  in  consequence  of  their  sins.  Though  they 
knew  Him  to  be  sinless,  they  had  declared  that  His  death 
was  necessary  to  their  safety  as  a  nation.  "If  we  let  Him 
thus  alone,"  said  the  Jewish  leaders,  *'all  men  will  believe 
on  Him :  and  the  Romans  shall  come  and  take  away  both  our 
place  and  nation. " '  If  Christ  were  sacrificed,  they  might 
once  more  become  a  strong,  united  people.  Thus  they  rea- 
soned, and  they  concurred  in  the  decision  of  their  high 
priest,  that  it  would  be  better  for  one  man  to  die  than 
for  the  whole  nation  to  perish. 

Thus  the  Jewish  leaders  had  "built  up  Zion  with  blood, 
and  Jerusalem  with  iniquity."  And  yet,  while  they  slew 
their  Saviour  because  He  reproved  their  sins,  such  was  their 
self-righteousness  that  they  regarded  themselves  as  God's 
favored  people,  and  expected  the  Lord  to  deliver  them  from 
their  enemies.  "Therefore,"  continued  the  prophet,  "shall 
Zion  for  your  sake  be  plowed  as  a  field,  and  Jerusalem  shall 
become  heaps,  and  the  mountain  of  the  house  as  the  high 
places  of  the  forest."* 

For  nearly  forty  years  after  the  doom  of  Jerusalem  had 
been  pronounced  by  Christ  Himself,  the  Lord  delayed  His 
judgments  upon  the  city  and  the  nation.  Wonderful  was 
the  long-sufforing  of  God  toward  the  rejecters  of  His  gospel 
and  the  murderers  of  His  Son.  The  parable  of  the  unfruit- 
ful tree  represented  God's  dealings  with  the  Jewish  nation. 
The  command  had  gone  forth,  "Cut  it  down;  why  cum- 
bereth  it  the  ground?'"  but  divine  mercy  had  spared  it 
yet  a  little  longer.  There  were  still  many  among  the  Jews 
who  were  ignorant  of  the  character  and  the  work  of  Christ. 
And  the  children  had  not  enjoyed  the  opportunities  or  re- 
*  John  11:48.  »Micali3:12.  »Lukel3:7. 


28  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ceived  the  light  which  their  parents  had  spurned.  Through 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles  and  their  associates,  God 
would  cause  light  to  shine  upon  them;  they  would  be  per- 
mitted to  see  how  prophecy  had  been  fulfilled,  not  only  in 
the  birth  and  life  of  Christ,  but  in  His  death  and  resurrec- 
tion. The  children  were  not  condemned  for  the  sins  of  the 
parents;  but  when,  with  a  knowledge  of  all  the  light  given 
to  their  parents,  the  children  rejected  the  additional  light 
granted  to  themselves,  they  became  partakers  of  the  parents' 
sins,  and  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquit3\ 

The  long-suffering  of  God  toward  Jerusalem  only  con- 
firmed the  Jews  in  their  stubborn  impenitence.  In  their 
hatred  and  cruelty  toward  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  they 
rejected  the  last  offer  of  mercy.  Then  God  withdrew  His 
protection  from  them,  and  removed  His  restraining  power 
from  Satan  and  his  angels,  and  the  nation  was  left  to  the 
control  of  the  leader  she  had  chosen.  Her  children  had 
spurned  the  grace  of  Christ,  which  would  have  enabled  them 
to  subdue  their  evil  impulses,  and  now  these  became  the 
conquerors.  Satan  aroused  the  fiercest  and  most  debased 
passions  of  the  soul.  Men  did  not  reason;  they  were  be- 
yond reason, —  controlled  by  impulse  and  blind  rage.  They 
iDecame  satanic  in  their  cruelty.  In  the  family  and  in  the 
nation,  among  the  highest  and  the  lowest  classes  alike,  there 
was  suspicion,  envy,  hatred,  strife,  rebellion,  murder.  There 
was  no  safety  anywhere.  Friends  and  kindred  betrayed 
one  another.  Parents  slew  their  children  and  children  their 
parents.  The  rulers  of  the  people  had  no  power  to  rule 
themselves.  Uncontrolled  passions  made  them  tyrants.  The 
Jews  had  accepted  false  testimony  to  condemn  the  inno- 
cent Son  of  God.  Now  false  accusations  made  their  own 
lives  uncertain.  By  their  actions  they  had  long  been  say- 
ing, "Cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease  from  before 
us."^  Now  their  desire  was  granted.  The  fear  of  God  no 
longer  disturbed  them.     Satan  was  at  the  head  of  the  na- 

'Isa.  30:11. 


DESTRUCTION    OF  JERUSALEM  29 

tion,  and  the  highest  civil  and  religious  authorities  were 
under  his  sway. 

The  leaders  of  the  opposing  factions  at  times  united  to 
plunder  and  torture  their  wretched  victims,  and  again  they 
fell  upon  each  other's  forces,  and  slaughtered  without  mercy. 
Even  the  sanctity  of  the  temple  could  not  restrain  their 
horrible  ferocity.  The  worshipers  were  stricken  down  be- 
fore the  altar,  and  the  sanctuary  was  polluted  with  the 
bodies  of  the  slain.  Yet  in  their  blind  and  blasphemous 
presumption  the  instigators  of  this  hellish  work  publicly 
declared  that  they  had  no  fear  that  Jerusalem  would  be 
destroyed,  for  it  was  God's  own  city.  To  establish  their 
power  more  firmly,  they  bribed  false  prophets  to  proclaim, 
even  w^hile  Roman  legions  were  besieging  the  temple,  that 
the  people  were  to  wait  for  deliverance  from  God.  To  the 
last,  multitudes  held  fast  to  the  belief  that  the  Most  High 
would  interpose  for  the  defeat  of  their  adversaries.  But 
Israel  had  spurned  the  divine  protection,  and  now  she  had 
no  defense.  Unhappy  Jerusalem!  rent  by  internal  dissen- 
sions, the  blood  of  her  children  slain  by  one  another's 
hands  crimsoning  her  streets,  while  alien  armies  beat  down 
her  fortifications  and  slew  her  men  of  w'ar! 

All  the  predictions  given  ])y  Christ  concerning  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  were  fulfilled  to  the  letter.  The  Jews 
experienced  the  truth  of  His  words  of  warning,  "With  what 
measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again. ' '  * 

Signs  and  wonders  appeared,  foreboding  disaster  and 
doom.  In  the  midst  of  the  night  an  unnatural  light  shone 
over  the  temple  and  the  altar.  Upon  the  clouds  at  sunset 
were  pictured  chariots  and  men  of  war  gathering  for  battle. 
The  priests  ministering  by  night  in  the  sanctuary  were  ter- 
rified by  mysterious  sounds;  the  earth  trembled,  and  a  mul- 
titude of  voices  were  heard  crying,  "Let  us  depart  hence." 
The  great  eastern  gate,  which  was  so  heavy  that  it  could 
hardly  be  shut  by  a  score  of  men,  and  which  w^s  secured  by 

'Matt.  7:2. 


§6  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

immense  bars  of  iron  fastened  deep  in  the  pavement  of  solid 
stone,  opened  at  midnight,  without  visible  agency/ 

For  seven  years  a  man  continued  to  go  up  and  down  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem,  declaring  the  woes  that  were  to  come 
upon  the  city.  By  day  and  by  night  he  chanted  the  wild 
dirge,  ' '  A  voice  from  the  east !  a  voice  from  the  west !  a  voice 
from  the  four  winds!  a  voice  against  Jerusalem  and  against 
the  temple!  a  voice  against  the  bridegrooms  and  the  brides! 
a  voice  against  the  whole  people!"  This  strange  being  was 
imprisoned  and  scourged,  but  no  complaint  escaped  his  lips. 
To  insult  and  abuse  he  answered  only,  "Woe,  woe  to  Jeru- 
salean!"  "woe,  woe  to  the  inhabitants  thereof!"  His  warn-, 
ing  cry  ceased  not  until  he  was  slain  in  the  siege  he  had 
foretold. 

Not  one  Christian  perished  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. Christ  had  given  Ilis  disciples  warning,  and  all  who 
believed  His  words  watched  for  the  promised  sign.  "When 
ye  shall  see  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies,"  said  Jesus, 
"then  know  that  the  desolation  thereof  is  nigh.  Then  let 
them  which  are  in  Judea  flee  to  the  mountains;  and  let 
them  which  are  in  the  midst  of  it  depart  out."°  After 
the  Romans  under  Cestius  had  surrounded  the  city,  they 
unexpectedly  abandoned  the  siege  when  everything  seemed 
favorable  for  an  immediate  attack.  The  besieged,  despair- 
ing of  successful  resistance,  were  on  the  point  of  surrender, 
when  the  Roman  general  withdrew  his  forces  without  the 
least  apparent  reason.  But  God's  merciful  providence  was 
directing  events  for  the  good  of  His  own  people.  The  prom- 
ised sign  had  been  given  to  the  waiting  Christians,  and  now 
an  opportunity  v/as  afforded  for  all  who  would,  to  obey 
the  Saviour's  Avarning.  Events  were  so  overruled  that 
neither  Jews  nor  Romans  should  hinder  the  flight  of  the 
Christians.  Upon  the  retreat  of  Cestius,  the  Jews,  sallying 
from  Jerusalem,  pursued  after  his  retiring  army;  and  while 
both  forces  were  thus  fully  engaged,  the  Christians  had  an 
opportunity  to  leave  the  city.    At  this  time  the  country  also 

»Milman,  "History  of  the  Jews,"  book  13.        ''Luke  21:20,21. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM  % 

had  been  cleared  of  enemies  who  might  liave  endeavored  to 
intercept  them.  At  the  time  of  the  siege,  the  Jews  were 
assembled  at  Jerusalem  to  keep  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles, 
and  thus  the  Christians  throughout  the  land  were  able  to 
make  their  escape  unmolested.  Without  delay  they  fled  to 
a  place  of  safety, —  the  city  of  Pella,  in  the  land  of  Perea, 
beyond  Jordan. 

The  Jewish  forces,  pursuing  after  Cestius  and  his  army, 
fell  upon  their  rear  with  such  fierceness  as  to  threaten  them 
with  total  destruction.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  the 
Romans  succeeded  in  making  their  retreat.  The  Jews  es- 
caped almost  without  loss,  and  with  their  spoils  returned 
in  triumph  to  Jerusalem.  Yet  this  apparent  success  brought 
them  only  evil.  It  inspired  them  with  that  spirit  of  stub- 
born resistance  to  the  Romans  which  speedily  brought  un- 
utterable woe  upon  the  doomed  city. 

Terrible  were  the  calamities  that  fell  upon  Jerusalem 
when  the  siege  was  resumed  by  Titus.  The  city  was  invested 
at  the  time  of  the  Passover,  when  millions  of  Jews  Were  as- 
sembled within  its  walls.  Their  stores  of  provision,  which 
if  carefully  preserved  would  have  supplied  the  inhabitants 
for  years,,  had  previously  been  destroyed  through  the  jeal- 
ousy and  revenge  of  the  contending  factions,  and  now  all 
the  horrors  of  starvation  were  experienced.  A  measure  of 
wheat  was  sold  for  a  talent.  So  fierce  were  the  pangs  of 
hunger  that  men  would  gnaw  the  leather  of  their  belts  and 
sandals  and  the  covering  of  their  shields.  Great  numl)ers  of 
the  people  would  steal  out  at  night  to  gather  wild  plants 
growing  outside  tlie  city  walls,  though  many  were  seized  and 
put  to  death  with  cruel  torture,  and  often  tiiose  who  re- 
turned in  safety  were  robbed  of  what  they  had  gleaned  at 
so  great  peril.  The  most  inhuman  tortures  were  inflicted 
by  those  in  power,  to  force  from  the  want-stricken  people 
the  last  scanty  supplies  which  they  might  have  concealed. 
And  these  cruelties  were  not  infrequently  practised  bj^  men 
who  were  themselves  well  fed,  and  who  were  merely  desir- 
ous of  laying  up  a  store  of  provision  for  the  future. 


^2  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Thousands  perished  from  famine  and  pestilence.  Natural 
affection  seemed  to  have  been  destroyed.  Husbands  robbed 
their  wives,  and  wives  their  husbands.  Children  would  be 
seen  snatching  the  food  from  the  mouths  of  their  aged  par- 
ents. The  question  of  the  prophet,  "Can  a  woman  forget 
her  sucking  child  ? ' "  received  the  answer  within  the  walls 
of  that  doomed  city,  "The  hands  of  the  pitiful  women  have 
sodden  their  own  children:  they  were  their  meat  in  the 
destruction  of  the  daughter  of  my  people. ' ' "  Again  was 
fulfilled  the  warning  prophecy  given  fourteen  centuries  be- 
fore: "The  tender  and  delicate  woman  among  you,  which 
would  not  adventure  to  set  the  sole  of  her  foot  upon  the 
gi^ound  for  delicateness  and  tenderness,  her  eye  shall  be  evil 
toward  the  husband  of  her  bosom,  and  toward  her  son,  and 
toward  her  daughter,  .  .  .  and  toward  her  children  which 
she  shall  bear:  for  she  shall  eat  them  for  want  of  all  things 
secretly  in  th6  siege  and  straitness,  wherewith  thine  enemy 
shall  distress  thee  in  thy  gates. " ' 

The  Roman  leaders  endeavored  to  strike  terror  to  the 
Jews,  and  thus  cause  them  to  surrender.  Those  prison- 
ers who  resisted  when  taken,  were  scourged,  tortured,  and 
crucified  before  the  wall  of  the  city.  Hundreds  were  daily 
put  to  death  in  this  manner,  and  the  dreadful  work  con- 
tinued until,  along  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat  and  at  Cal- 
vary, crosses  were  erected  in  so  great  numbers  that  there 
was  scarcely  room  to  move  among  them.  So  terribly  was 
visited  that  awful  imprecation  uttered  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Pilate:  "His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children."* 

Titus  would  willingly  have  put  an  end  to  the  fearful 
scene,  and  thus  have  spared  Jerusalem  the  full  measure  of 
her  doom.  He  was  filled  wth  horror  as  he  saw  the  bodies 
of  the  dead  lying  in  heaps  in  the  valleys.  Like  one  en- 
tranced, he  looked  from  the  crest  of  Olivet  upon  the  mag- 
nificent temple,  and  gave  command  that  not  one  stone  of 
it  be  touched.  Before  attempting  to  gain  possession  of  this 
stronghold,  he  made  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  Jewish  leaders 

^Isa.  49:15.         =" Lam.  4:10.       »Deut.  28:56,  57.       'Matt.  27:25. 


DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM  33 

not  to  force  him  to  defile  the  sacred  place  with  blood.  If 
they  would  come  forth  and  fight  in  any  other  place,  no 
Roman  should  violate  the  sanctity  of  the  temple.  Josephus 
himself,  in  a  most  eloquent  appeal,  entreated  them  to  sur- 
render, to  save  themselves,  their  city,  and  their  place  of 
worship.  But  his  words  were  answered  with  bitter  curses. 
Darts  were  hurled  at  him,  their  last  human  mediator,  as  he 
stood  pleading  with  them.  The  Jews  had  rejected  the  en- 
treaties of  the  Son .  of  God,  and  now  expostulation  and 
entreaty  only  made  them  more  determined  to  resist  to  the 
last.  In  vain  were  the  efforts  of  Titus  to  save  the  temple; 
One  greater  than  he  had  declared  that  not  one  stone  was 
to  be  left  upon  another. 

The  blind  obstinacy  of  the  Jewish  leaders,  and  the 
detestable  crimes  perpetrated  within  the  besieged  city, 
excited  the  horror  and  indignation  of  the  Romans,  and 
Titus  at  last  decided  to  take  the  temple  l)y  storm.  He 
determined,  however,  that  if  possible  it  should  be  saved 
from  destruction.  But  his  commands  were  disregarded. 
After  he  had  retired  to  his  tent  at  night,  the  Jews,  sallying 
from  the  temple,  attacked  the  soldiers  without.  In  the 
struggle,  a  firebrand  was  flung  by  a  soldier  through  an 
opening  in  the  porch,  and  immediately  the  cedar-lined 
chambers  about  the  holy  house  were  in  a  blaze.  Titus  rushed 
to  the  place,  followed  by  his  generals  and  legionaries,  and 
commanded  the  soldiers  to  quench  the  flames.  His  words 
were  unheeded.  In  their  fury  the  soldiers  hurled  blazing 
brands  into  the  chambers  adjoining  the  temple,  and  then 
with  tlieir  swords  they  slaughtered  in  great  numbers  those 
who  had  found  shelter  there.  Blood  flowed  down  the 
temple  steps  like  water.  Thousands  upon  thousands  of 
Jews  perished.  Above  the  sound  of  battle,  voices  were 
heard  shouting,  ' '  Icliabod  ! ' ' —  the  glory  is  departed. 

"Titus  found  it  impossible  to  check  the  rage  of  the 
soldiery;  he  entered  with  his  officers,  and  surveyed  the 
interior  of  the  sacred  edifice.  The  splendor  filled  tiiem  with 
wonder;   and  as  the  flames  had  not  yet  penetrated  to  the 

2— G.  C. 


34  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

holy  place,  he  made  a  last  effort  to  save  it,  and  springing 
forth,  again  exhorted  the  soldiers  to  stay  the  progress  of 
the  conflagration.  The  centurion  Liberalis  endeavored  to 
force  obedience  with  his  staff  of  office;  but  even  respect 
for  the  emperor  gave  way  to  the  furious  animosity  against 
the  Jews,  to  the  fierce  excitement  of  battle,  and  to  the 
insatiable  hope  of  plunder.  The  soldiers  saw  everything 
around  them  radiant  with  gold,  which  shone  dazzlingly  in 
the  ^nld  light  of  the  flames;  they  supposed  that  incalculable 
treasures  were  laid  up  in  the  sanctuary.  A  soldier,  unper- 
ceived,  thrust  a  lighted  torch  between  the  hinges  of  the 
door:  the  whole  building  was  in  flames  in  an  instant.  The 
blinding  smoke  and  fire  forced  the  officers  to  retreat,  and 
the  noble  edifice  was  left  to  its  fate. 

' '  It  was  an  appalling  spectacle  to  the  Roman  —  what 
was  it  to  the  Jew?  The  whole  summit  of  the  hill  which 
commanded  the  city,  blazed  like  a  volcano.  One  after 
another  the  buildings  fell  in,  with  a  tremendous  crash,  and 
were  swallowed  up  in  the  fiery  abyss.  The  roofs  of  cedar 
were  like  sheets  of  flame;  the  gilded  pinnacles  shone  like 
spikes  of  red  light;  the  gate  towers  sent  up  tall  columns  of 
flame  and  smoke.  The  neighboring  hills  were  lighted  up; 
and  dark  groups  of  people  were  seen  watching  in  horrible 
anxiety  the  progress  of  the  destruction :  the  walls  and 
heights  of  the  upper  city  Avere  crowded  wdth  faces,  some 
pale  with  the  agony  of  despair,  others  scowling  unavailing 
vengeance.  The  shouts  of  the  Roman  soldiery  as  they  ran 
to  and  fro,  and  the  bowlings  of  the  insurgents  who  were 
perishing  in  the  flames,  mingled  with  the  roaring  of  the 
conflagration  and  the  thundering  sound  of  falling  timbers. 
The  echoes  of  the  mountains  replied  or  brought  back  the 
shrieks  of  the  people  on  the  heights;  all  along  the  walls 
resounded  screams  and  wailings ;  men  who  were  expiring 
with  famine  rallied  their  remaining  strength  to  utter  a  cry 
of  anguish  and  desolation. 


DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM  35 

"The  slaughter  within  was  even  more  dreadful  than  the 
spectacle  from  without.  Men  and  women,  old  and  young, 
insurgents  and  priests,  those  who  fought  and  those  who 
entreated  mercy,  were  hewn  down  in  indiscriminate  car- 
nage. The  number  of  the  slain  exceeded  that  of  the  slayers. 
The  legionaries  had  to  clamber  over  heaps  of  dead  to  carry 
on  the  work  of  extermination. ' '  ^ 

After  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  the  whole  city  soon 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans.  The  leaders  of  the  Jews 
forsook  their  impregnable  towers,  and  Titus  found  them  sol- 
itary. He  gazed  upon  them  with  amazement,  and  declared 
that  God  had  given  them  into  his  hands;  for  no  engines, 
however  powerful,  could  have  prevailed  against  those  stu- 
pendous battlements.  Both  the  city  and  the  temple  were 
razed  to  their  foundations,  and  the  ground  upon  which  the 
holy  house  had  stood  Avas  ' '  plowed  like  a  field. "  ^  In  the 
siege  and  the  slaughter  that  followed,  more  than  a  million 
of  the  people  perished ;  the  survivors  were  carried  away  as 
captives,  sold  as  slaves,  dragged  to  Rome  to  grace  the  con- 
queror's triumph,  thrown  to  wild  beasts  in  the  amphithea- 
ters, or  scattered  as  homeless  wanderers  throughout  the  earth. 

The  Jews  had  forged  their  own  fetters ;  they  had  filled 
for  themselves  the  cup  of  vengeance.  In  the  utter  destruc- 
tion that  befell  them  as  a  nation,  and  in  all  the  woes  that 
followed  them  in  their  dispersion,  they  were  but  reaping  the 
harvest  which  their  own  hands  had  sown.  Says  the  prophet, 
"0  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself;"  "for  thou  hast 
fallen  by  thine  iniquity."^  Their  sufferings  are  often  rep- 
resented as  a  punishment  visited  upon  them  by  the  direct 
decree  of  God.  It  is  thus  that  the  great  deceiver  seeks  to 
conceal  his  own  work.  By  stul)born  rejection  of  divine  love 
and  mercy,  the  Jews  had  caused  the  protection  of  God  to  be 
withdraAATi  from  them,  and  Satan  was  permitted  to  rule  them 
according  to  his  Anil.     The  horrible  cruelties  enacted  in  the 

^Milman,  "History  of  the  Jews,"  book  16.  '  Jer,  26:18. 

»Hosea  13:9;  14:1. 


36  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

destruction  of  Jerusalem  are  a  demonstration  of  Satan's 
vindictive  power  over  those  who  yield  to  his  control. 

We  cannot  know  how  much  we  owe  to  Christ  for  the 
peace  and  protection  which  we  enjoy.  It  is  the  restraining 
power  of  God  thai  prevents  mankind  from  passing  fully 
under  the  control  of  Satan.  The  disobedient  and  unthank- 
ful have  great  reason  for  gratitude  for  God's  mercy  and 
long-suffering  in  holding  in  check  the  cruel,  malignant  power 
of  the  evil  one.  But  when  men  pass  the  limits  of  divine 
forbearance,  that  restraint  is  removed.  God  does  not  stand 
toward  the  sinner  as  an  executioner  of  the  sentence  against 
transgression;  but  He  leaves  the  rejecters  of  His  mercy  to 
themselves,  to.  reap  that  wliich  they  have  sown.  Every  ray 
of  light  rejected,  every  warning  despised  or  unheeded,  every 
passion  indulged,  every  transgression  of  the  law  of  God,  is 
a  seed  sown,  which  yields  its  unfailing  harvest.  The  Spirit 
of  God,  persistently  resisted,  is  at  last  withdrawn  from  the 
sinner,  and  then  there  is  left  no  power  to  control  the  evil 
passions  of  the  soul,  and  no  protection  from  the  malice  and 
enmity  of  Satan.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  is  a  fearful 
and  solemn  warning  to  all  who  are  trifling  with  the  offers  of 
divine  grace,  and  resisting  the  pleadings  of  divine  mercy. 
Never  was  there  given  a  more  decisive  testimony  to  God's 
hatred  of  sin,  and  to  the  certain  punishment  that  will  fall 
upon  the  guilty. 

The  Saviour's  prophecy  concerning  the  visitation  of 
judgments  upon  Jerusalem  is  to  have  another  fulfilment, 
of  which  that  terrible  desolation  was  but  a  faint  shadow. 
In  the  fate  of  the  chosen  city  we  may  behold  the  doom  of  a 
world  that  has  rejected  God's  mercy  and  trampled  upon  His 
law.  Dark  are  the  records  of  human  misery  that  earth  has 
witnessed  during  its  long  centuries  of  crime.  The  heart 
sickens  and  the  mind  grows  faint  in  contemplation.  Ter- 
rible have  been  the  results  of  rejecting  the  authority  of 
Heaven.  But  a  scene  yet  darker  is  presented  in  the  revela- 
tions of   the   future.     The   records   of   the   past, —  the   long 


DESTRUCTION   OF  JERUSALEM  37 

procession  of  tumults,  conflicts,  and  revolutions,  the  "battle 
of  the  warrior,  with  confused  noise,  and  garments  rolled  in 
blood, ' ' ' —  what  are  these,  in  contrast  with  the  terrors  of  that 
day  when  the  restraining  Spirit  of  God  shall  be  wholly  with- 
drawn from  the  wicked,  no  longer  to  hold  in  check  the 
outburst  of  human  passion  and  satanic  wrath !  The  world 
will  then  behold,  as  never  before,  the  results  of  Satan's  rule. 

But  in- that  day,  as  in  the  time  of  Jerusalem's  destruc- 
tion, God's  people  will  be  delivered,  "every  one  that  shall 
be  found  written  among  the  living."  Christ  has  declared 
that  He  will  come  the  second  time,  to  gather  His  faithful 
ones  to  Himself:  "Then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth 
mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory.  And  He 
shall  send  His  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and 
they  shall  gather  together  His  elect  from  the  four  winds, 
from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other. ' ' '  Then  shall  they  that 
obey  not  the  gospel  be  consumed  with  the  spirit  of  His 
mouth,  and  be  destroyed  with  the  brightness  of  His  coming.* 
Like  Israel  of  old,  the  wicked  destroy  themselves;  they  fall 
by  their  iniquity.  By  a  life  of  sin,  they  have  placed  them- 
selves so  out  of  harmony  with  God,  their  natures  have  be- 
come so  debased  with  evil,  that  the  manifestation  of  His 
glory  is  to  them  a  consuming  fire. 

Let  men  beware  lest  they  neglect  the  lesson  conveyed  to 
them  in  the  words  of  Christ.  As  He  warned  His  disciples  of 
Jerusalem's  destruction,  giving  them  a  sign  of  the  approach- 
ing ruin,  that  they  might  make  their  escape;  so  He  has 
warned  the  world  of  the  day  of  final  destruction,  and  has 
given  them  tokens  of  its  approach,  that  all  who  will  may 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Jesus  declares,  "There  shall 
be  signs  in  the  sun,  and  in  the  moon,  and  in  the  stars;  and 
upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations. ' '  *  Those  who  behold 
these  harbingers  of  His  coming  are  to  "know  that  it  is  near, 

.»Isa.  9:5.  'Matt.  24:30,31.  *2  These.  2:8. 

*Luke  21:25;   Matt.  24:29;  Mark  13:24-26;  Rev.  6:12-17. 

187181 


38 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


even  at  the  doors. "^  "Watch  ye  therefore,"'  are  His  words 
of  admonition.  They  that  heed  the  warning  shall  not  be 
left  in  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  them  un- 
awares. But  to  them  that  will  not  watch,  "the  day  of  the 
Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night". ' '  ^ 

The  world  is  no  more  ready  to  credit  the  message  for  tliis 
time  than  were  the  Jews  to  receive  the  Saviour's  warning 
concerning  Jerusalem,  Come  when  it  may,  the  day  of  God 
will  come  unawares  to  the  ungodly.  When  life  is  going  on 
in  its  unvarying  round;  when  men  are  absorbed  in  pleasure, 
in  business,  in  traffic,  in  money-making;  when  religious 
leaders  are  magnifying  the  world's  progress  and  enlighten- 
ment, and  the  people  are  lulled  in  a  false  security, —  then, 
as  the  midnight  thief  steals  within  the  unguarded  dwelling, 
so  shall  sudden  destruction  come  upon  the  careless  and 
ungodly,   "and  they  shall   not  escape. "^ 

•Matt.  24:33.  =  Mark  13:.35.  '1  Thess.  5:2-5. 


-=pm 


?,"^ 


PERSECUTION    IN   THE   FIRST  CENTURIES -2 

When  Jesus  revealed  to  His  disciples  the  fate  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  the  scenes  of  the  second  advent,  He  foretold  also  the 
experience  of  His  people  from  the  time  when  He  should  be 
taken  from  them,  to  His  return  in  power  and  glory  for  their 
deliverance.  From  Olivet  the  Sa\dour  beheld  the  storms 
about  to  fall  upon  the  apostolic  church;  and  penetrating 
deeper  into  the  future,  His  eye  discerned  the  fierce,  wasting 
tempests  that  were  to  beat  upon  His  followers  in  the  coming 
ages  of  darkness  and  persecution.  In  a  few  brief  utterances 
of  awful  significance,  He  foretold  the  portion  which  the 
rulers  of  this  world  would  mete  out  to  the  church  of  God.' 
The  followers  of  Christ  must  tread  the  same  path  of  humilia- 
tion, reproach,  and  suffering  which  their  Master  trod.  The 
enmity  that  burst  forth  against  the  world's  Redeemer,  would 
be  manifested  against  all  who  should  believe  on  His  name. 

The  history  of  the  early  church  testified  to  the  fulfilment 
of  the  Saviour's  words.  The  powers  of  earth  and  hell  ar- 
rayed themselves  against  Christ  in  the  person  of  His  follow- 
ers. Paganism  foresaw  that  should  the  gospel  triumph, 
her  temples  and  altars  would  be  swept  away;  therefore  she 
summoned  her  forces  to  destroy  Christianity.  The  fires  of 
persecution  were  kindled.  Christians  were  stripped  of  their 
possessions,  and  driven  from  their  homes.  They  "endured 
a  great   fight   of  afflictions. "°     They   "had   trial   of   cruel 

^Matt.  24:9,21,22.  =  Heb.  10:32. 

(39) 


40  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

mockings  and  scourgings,  yea,  moreover  of  bonds  and  im- 
prisonment. ' ' '  Great  numbers  sealed  their  testimony  with 
their  blood.  Noble  and  slave,  rich  and  poor,  learned  and 
ignorant,    were   alike   slain   without   mercy. 

These  persecutions,  beginning  under  Nero  about  the  time 
of  the  martyrdom  of  Paul,  continued  with  greater  or  less 
fury  for  centuries.  Christians  were  falsely  accused  of  the 
most  dreadful  crimes,  and  declared  to  be  the  cause  of  great 
calamities  —  famine,  pestilence,  and  earthquake.  As  they 
became  the  objects  of  popular  hatred  and  suspicion,  inform- 
ers stood  ready,  for  the  sake  of  gain,  to  betray  the  innocent. 
They  were  condemned  as  rebels  against  the  empire,  as  foes 
of  religion,  and  pests  to  society.  Great  numbers  were 
thrown  to  wild  beasts  or  burned  alive  in  the  amphitheaters. 
Some  were  crucified;  others  were  covered  with  the  skins 
of  wild  animals,  and  thrust  into  the  arena  to  be  torn  by 
dogs.  Their  punishment  was  often  made  the  chief  enter- 
tainment at  public  fetes.  Vast  multitudes  assembled  to 
enjoy  the  sight,  and  greeted  their  dying  agonies  with 
laughter  and  applause. 

Wherever  they  sought  refuge,  the  followers  of  Christ 
were  hunted  like  beasts  of  prey.  They  were  forced  to  seek 
concealment  in  desolate  and  solitary  places.  "Destitute,  af- 
flicted, tormented;  (of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy:) 
they  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens 
and  caves  of  the  earth.'"  The  catacombs  afforded  shelter 
for  thousands.  Beneath  the  liills  outside  the  city  of  Rome, 
long  galleries  had  been  tunneled  through  earth  and  rock; 
the  dark  and  intricate  network  of  passages  extended  for 
miles  beyond  the  city  walls.  In  these  underground  retreats, 
the  followers  of  Christ  buried  their  dead;  and  here  also, 
when  suspected  and  proscribed,  they  found  a  home.  Wlien 
the  Lifegiver  shall  awaken  those  who  have  fought  the  good 
fight,  many  a  martyr  for  Christ's  sake  will  come  forth  from 
those  gloomy  caverns. 

»Heb.  11:36-38. 


PERSECUTION  IN  THE  FIRST  CENTURIES  41 

Under  the  fiercest  persecution,  these  witnesses  for  Jesus 
kept  their  faith  unsullied.  Though  deprived  of  every  com- 
fort, shut  away  from  the  light  of  the  sun,  making  their 
home  in  the  dark  but  friendly  bosom  of  the  earth,  they 
uttered  no  complaint.  With  words  of  faith,  patience,  and 
hope,  they  encouraged  one  another  to  endure  privation  and 
distress.  The  loss  of  every  earthly  blessing  could  not  force 
them  to  renounce  their  belief  in  Christ.  Trials  and  perse- 
cution were  but  steps  bringing  them  nearer  their  rest  and 
their  reward. 

Like  God's  servants  of  old,  many  were  "tortured,  not 
accepting  deliverance ;  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resur- 
rection."'  These  called  to  mind  the  words  of  their  Master, 
that  when  persecuted  for  Christ's  sake,  they  were  to  be 
exceeding  glad,  for  great  would  be  their  reward  in  heaven ; 
for  so  the  prophets  had  been  persecuted  before  them.  They 
rejoiced  that  they  were  accounted  worthy  to  suffer  for  the 
truth,  and  songs  of  triumph  ascended  from  the  midst  of 
crackling  flames.  Looking  upward  by  faith,  they  saw  Christ 
and  angels  leaning  over  the  battlements  of  heaven,  gazing 
upon  them  with  the  deepest  interest,  and  regarding  their 
steadfastness  with  approval.  A  voice  came  down  to  them 
from  the  throne  of  God,  "Be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life. "° 

In  vain  were  Satan's  efforts  to  destroy  the  church  of 
Christ  by  violence.  The  great  controversy  in  which  the 
disciples  of  Jesus  yielded  up  their  lives,  did  not  cease  when 
these  faithful  standard-bearers  fell  at  their  post.  By  defeat 
they  conquered.  God's  workmen  were  slain,  but  His  work 
went  steadily  forward.  The  gospel  continued  to  spread,  and 
the  number  of  its  adherents  to  increase.  It  penetrated  into 
regions  that  were  inaccessible,  even  to  the  eagles  of  Rome. 
Said  a  Christian,  expostulating  with  the  heathen  rulers  who 
were  urging  forward  the  persecution:  You  may  "kill  us, 
torture  us,  condemn  us.  .  .  .  Your  injustice  is  the  proof 
*Heb.  11:35.  *Rev.  2:10: 


42  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

that  we  are  innocent.  ,  .  .  Nor  does  your  cruelty  .  .  . 
avail  you.''  It  was  but  a  stronger  invitation  to  bring 
others  to  their  persuasion.  "The  oftener  we  are  mown 
dovm  by  you,  the  more  in  number  we  grow;  the  blood  of 
Christians  is  seed. ' '  ^ 

Thousands  were  imprisoned  and  slain;  but  others  sprung 
up  to  fill  their  places.  And  those  who  were  martyred  for 
their  faith  were  secured  to  Christ,  and  accounted  of  Him  as 
conquerors.  They  had  fought  the  good  fight,  and  they  were 
to  receive  the  crowTi  of  glory  when  Christ  should  come. 
The  sufferings  which  they  endured  brought  Christians  nearer 
to  one  another  and  to  their  Redeemer.  Their  living  example 
and  dying  testimony  were  a  constant  witness  for  the  truth; 
and  where  least  expected,  the  subjects  of  Satan  were  leaving 
his  service,  and  enlisting  under  the  banner  of  Christ, 

Satan  therefore  laid  his  plans  to  war  more  successfully 
against  the  government  of  God,  by  planting  his  banner  in 
the  Christian  church.  If  the  followers  of  Christ  could  be 
deceived,  and  led  to  displease  God,  then  their  strength, 
fortitude,  and  firmness  would  fail,  and  they  would  fall 
an  easy  prey. 

The  great  adversary  now  endeavored  to  gain  by  artifice 
what  he  had  failed  to  secure  by  force.  Persecution  ceased, 
and  in  its  stead  were  substituted  the  dangerous  allurements 
of  temporal  prosperity  and  worldly  honor.  Idolaters  were 
led  to  receive  a  part  of  the  Christian  faith,  while  they 
rejected  other  essential  truths.  They  professed  to  accept 
Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  believe  in  His  death  and 
resurrection;  but  they  had  no  conviction  of  sin,  and  felt 
no  need  of  repentance  or  of  a  change  of  heart.  "With  some 
concessions  on  their  part,  they  proposed  that  Christians 
should  make  concessions,  that  all  might  unite  on  the  plat- 
form of  belief  in  Christ. 

Now  the  church  was  in  fearful  peril.  Prison,  torture, 
fire,  and  sword  were  blessings  in  comparison  with  this. 
Some  of  the  Christians  stood  firm,  declaring  that  they  could 

>  TertulliaB 's  ^'Apology,"  par.  50  (ed.  T.  ami  T.  Clark,  1869). 


PERSECUTION  IN  THE  FIRST  CENTURIES  43 

make  no  compromise.  Others  were  in  favor  of  yielding  or 
modifying  some  features  of  their  faith,  and  uniting  with 
those  who  had  accepted  a  part  of  Christianity,  urging  that 
this  might  be  the  means  of  their  full  conversion.  That  was 
a  time  of  deep  anguish  to  the  faithful  followers  of  Christ. 
Under  a  cloak  of  pretended  Christianity,  Satan  was  insinu- 
ating himself  into  the  church,  to  corrupt  their  faith,  and 
turn  their  minds  from  the  word  of  truth. 

Most  of  the  Christians  at  last  consented  to  lower  their 
standard,  and  a  union  was  formed  between  Christianity  and 
paganism.  Although  the  worshipers  of  idols  professed  to  be 
converted,  and  united  with  the  church,  they  still  clung  to 
their  idolatry,  only  changing  the  objects  of  their  worship  to 
images  of  Jesus,  and  even  of  J\Iary  and  the  saints.  The  foul 
leaven  of  idolatry,  thus  brouglit  into  the  church,  continued 
its  baleful  work.  Unsound  doctrines,  superstitious  rites, 
and  idolatrous  ceremonies  were  incorporated  into  her  faith 
and  worship.  As  the  followers  of  Christ  united  with  idol- 
aters, the  Christian  religion  became  corrupted,  and  the 
church  lost  her  purity  and  power.  There  were  some,  how- 
ever, who  were  not  misled  by  these  delusions.  They  stilt 
maintained  their  fidelity  to  the  Author  of  truth,  and  wor- 
shiped God  alone. 

There  have  ever  been  two  classes  among  those  who  pro- 
fess to  be  followers  of  Christ.  While  one  class  study  the 
Saviour's  life,  and  earnestly  seek  to  correct  their  defects 
and  conform  to  tlie  Pattern,  the  other  class  shun  the  plain, 
practical  truths  which  expose  their  errors.  Even  in  her  best 
estate,  the  church  was  not  composed  wholly  of  the  true,  pure, 
and  sincere.  Our  Saviour  taught  that  those  who  wilfully 
indulge  in  sin  are  not  to  be  received  into  the  church ;  yet  lie 
connected  with  Himself  men  who  were  faulty  in  character, 
and  granted  them  the  benefits  of  His  teachings  and  example, 
that  they  might  have  an  opportunity  to  see  their  errors  and 
correct   them.     Among  the   twelve   apostles   was   a   traitor. 


44  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Judas  was  accepted,  not  because  of  his  defects  of  character, 
but  notwithstanding  them.  He  Avas  connected  with  the 
disciples,  thf^t,  through  the  instruction  and  example  of 
Christ,  he  might  learn  what  constitutes  Christian  character, 
and  thus  be  led  to  see  his  errors,  to  repent,  and  by  the  aid 
of  divine  grace,  to  purify  his  soul  *'in  obeying  the  truth." 
But  Judas  did  not  walk  in  the  light  so  graciously  permitted 
to  shine  upon  him.  By  indulgence  in  sin,  he  invited  the 
temptations  of  Satan.  His  evil  traits  of  eliaracter  became 
predominant.  He  yielded  his  mind  to  the  control  of  the 
powers  of  darkness,  he  became  angry  when  his  faults  were 
reproved,  and  thus  he  was  led  to  commit  the  fearful  crime 
of  betraying  his  Master.  So  do  all  who  cherish  evil  under 
a  profession  of  godliness  hate  those  who  disturb  their  peace 
by  condemning  their  course  of  sin.  When  a  favorable  op- 
portunity is  presented,  they  will,  like  Judas,  betray  those 
who  for  their  good  have  sought  to  reprove  them. 

The  apostles  encountered  those  in  the  church  who  pro- 
fessed godliness  while  they  were  secretly  cherishing  iniquity. 
Ananias  and  Sapphira  acted  the  part  of  deceivers,  pretend- 
ing to  make  an  entire  sacrifice  for  God,  when  they  were 
covetously  withholding  a  portion  for  themselves.  The  Spirit 
of  truth  revealed  to  the  apostles  the  real  character  of  these 
pretenders,  and  the  judgments  of  God  rid  the  church  of  this 
foul  blot  upon  its  purity.  This  signal  evidence  of  the 
discernipg  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  church  was  a  terror  to 
hypocrites  and  evil-doers.  They  could  not  long  remain  in 
connection  with  those  who  were,  in  habit  and  disposition, 
constant  representatives  of  Christ;  and  as  trials  and  perse- 
cution came  upon  His  followers,  those  only  who  were  willing 
to  forsake  all  for  the  truth's  sake  desired  to  become  His  dis- 
ciples. Thus,  as  long  as  persecution  continued,  the  church 
remained  comparatively  pure.  But  as  it  ceased,  converts 
were  added  who  were  less  sincere  and  devoted,  and  the  way 
was  opened  for  Satan  to  obtain  a  foothold. 


PERSECUTION  IN  THE  FIRST  CENTURIES  45 

But  there  is  no  union  between  the  Prince  of  light  and 
the  prince  of  darkness,  and  there  can  be  no  union  between 
their  followers.  When  Christians  consented  to  unite  with 
those  who  were  but  half  converted  from  paganism,  they 
entered  upon  a  path  which  led  farther  and  farther  from  the 
truth,  Satan  exulted  that  he  had  succeeded  in  deceiving 
so  large  a  number  of  the  followers  of  Christ.  He  then 
brought  his  power  to  bear  more  fully  upon  these,  and 
inspired  them  to  persecute  those  who  remained  true  to  God. 
None  understood  so  well  how  to  oppose  the  true  Christian 
faith  as  did  those  who  had  once  been  its  defenders;  and 
these  apostate  Christians,  uniting  with  their  half-pagan 
companions,  directed  their  warfare  against  the  most  essen-  , 
tial   features  of  the   doctrines  of   Christ. 

It  required  a  desperate  struggle  for  those  who  would 
be  faithful  to  stand  firm  against  the  deceptions  and  abomi- 
nations which  were  disguised  in  sacerdotal  garments  and 
introduced  into  the  church.  The  Bible  was  not  accepted  as 
the  standard  of  faith.  The  doctrine  of  religious  freedom 
was  termed  heresy,  and  its  upholders  were  hated  and  pro- 
scribed. 

After  a  long  and  severe  conflict,  the  faithful  few  decided 
to  dissolve  all  union  wth  the  apostate  church  if  she  still 
refused  to  free  herself  from  falsehood  and  idolatry.  They 
saw  that  separation  was  an  absolute  necessity  if  they  would 
obey  the  word  of  God.  They  dared  not  tolerate  errors  fatal 
to  their  own  souls,  and  set  an  example  wliich  would  imperil 
the  faith  of  their  children  and  children's  children.  .To 
secure  peace  and  unity  they  were  ready  to  make  any  con- 
cession consistent  with  fidelity  to  God;  but  they  felt  that 
even  peace  would  be  too  dearly  purchased  at  the  sacrifice  of 
principle.  If  unity  could  be  secured  only  by  the  compro- 
mise of  truth  and  righteousness,  then  let  there  be  difference, 
and  even  war. 


46  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


Well  would  it  be  for  the  church  and  the  world  if  the 
principles  that  actuated  those  steadfast  souls  were  revived  in 
the  hearts  of  God's  professed  people.  '^  There  is  an  alarming 
indifference  in  regard  to  the  doctrines  which  are  the  pillars 
of  the  Christian  faith. '  The  opinion  is  gaining  ground,  that, 
after  all,  these  are  not  of  vital  importance.  This  degeneracy 
is  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  agents  of  Satan,  so  that 
false  theories  and  fatal  delusions  which  the  faithful  in  ages 
past  imperiled  their  lives  to  resist  and  expose,  are  now 
regarded  with  favor  by  thousands  who  claim  to  be  followers 
of   Christ. 

The  early  Christians  were  indeed  a  peculiar  people. 
Their  blameless  deportment  and  unswerving  faith  were  a 
continual  reproof  that  disturbed  the  sinner's  peace.  Though 
few  in  numbers,  without  wealth,  position,  or  honorary  titles, 
they  were  a  terror  to  evil-doers  wherever  their  character 
and  doctrines  were  knoMH.  Therefore  they  were  hated  by 
the  wicked,  even  as  Abel  was  hated  by  the  ungodly  Cain. 
For  the  same  reason  that  Cain  slew  Abel,  did  those  who 
sought  to  throw  off  the  restraint  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  put  to 
death  God's  people.  It  was  for  the  same  reason  that  the 
Jews  rejected  and  crucified  the  Saviour, —  because  the  purity 
and  holiness  of  His  character  was  a  constant  rebuke  to  their 
selfishness  and  corruption.  From  the  days  of  Christ  until 
now.  His  faithful  disciples  have  excited  the  hatred  and 
opposition  of  those  who  love  and  follow  the  ways  of  sin. 

How,  then,  can  the  gospel  be  called  a  message  of  peace? 
When  Isaiah  foretold  the  birth  of  the  Messiah,  he  ascribed 
to  Him  the  title,  "Prince  of  Peace."  When  angels  an- 
nounced to  the  shepherds  that  Christ  was  born,  they  sung 
above  the  plains  of  Bethlehem,  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men. ' ' '  There  is  a 
seeming  contradiction  between  these  prophetic  declarations 
and  the  words  of  Christ,  "I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a 
sword."'  But  rightly  understood,  the  two  are  in  perfect 
^Luke  2:14.  ^^  Matt.  10:34. 


PERSECUTION  IN  THE  FIRST  CENTURIES  47 

harmony.  The  gospel  is  a  message  of  peace.  Christianity  is 
a  system,  which,  received  and  obeyed,  would  spread  peace, 
harmony,  and  happiness  throughout  the  earth.  The  religion 
of  Christ  will  unite  in  close  brotherhood  all  who  accept  its 
teachings.  It  was  the  mission  of  Jesus  to  reconcile  men  to 
God,  and  thus  to  one  another.  But  the  world  at  large  are 
under  the  control  of  Satan,  Christ's  bitterest  foe.  The  gos- 
pel presents  to  them  principles  of  life  which  are  wholly  at 
variance  with  their  habits  and  desires,  and  they  rise  in 
rebellion  against  it.  They  hate  the  purity  which  reveals  and 
condemns  their  sins,  and  they  persecute  and  destroy  those 
who  would  urge  upon  them  its  just  and  holy  claims.  It  is 
in  this  sense  —  because  the  exalted  truths  it  brings,  occa- 
sion hatred  and  strife  —  that  the  gospel  is  called  a  sword. 
The  mysterious  providence  which  permits  the  righteous 
to  suffer  persecution  at  the  hand  of  the  wicked,  has  been  a 
cause  of  great  perplexity  to  many  who  are  weak  in  faith. 
Some  are  even  ready  to  cast  away  their  confidence  in  God, 
because  He  suffers  the  basest  of  men  to  prosper,  while  the 
best  and  purest  are  afflicted  and  tormented  by  their  cruel 
power.  How,  it  is  asked,  can  One  who  is  just  and  merciful, 
and  who  is  also  infinite  in  power,  tolerate  such  injustice  and 
oppression?  This  is  a  question  with  which  we  have  notliing 
to  do.  God  has  given  us  sufficient  evidence  of  His  love,  and 
we  are  not  to  doubt  His  goodness  because  we  cannot  under- 
stand the  workings  of  His  providence.  Said  the  Saviour  to 
His  disciples,  foreseeing  the  doubts  that  would  press  upon 
their  souls  in  days  of  trial  and  darkness:  "Remember  the 
word  that  I  said  unto  you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than 
his  lord.  If  they  have  persecuted  ]\le,  they  will  also  perse- 
cute you. ' ' '  Jesus  suffered  for  us  more  than  any  of  His 
followers  can  be  made  to  suffer  through  the  cruelty  of  wicked 
men.  Those  who  are  called  to  endure  torture  and  martyr- 
dom, are  but  following  in  the  steps  of  God's  dear  Son. 

»John  15:20. 


48  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  His  promise."*  He 
does  not  forget  or  neglect  His  children;  but  He  permits  the 
wicked  to  reveal  their  true  character,  that  none  who  desire 
to  do  His  will  may  be  deceived  concerning  them.  Again, 
the  righteous  are  placed  in  the  furnace  of  affliction,  that  they 
themselves  may  be  purified;  tha.t  their  example  may  con- 
vince others  of  the  reality  of  faith  and  godliness;  and  also 
that  their  consistent  course  may  condemn  the  ungodly  and 
unbelieving. 

God  permits  the  wicked  to  prosper,  and  to  reveal  their 
enmity  against  Him,  that  when  they  shall  have  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  iniquity,  all  may  see  His  justice  and  mercy 
in  their  utter  destruction.  The  day  of  His  vengeance  hastens, 
when  all  who  have  transgressed  His  law  and  oppressed  His 
people  will  meet  the  just  recompense  of  their  deeds;  when 
every  act  of  cruelty  or  injustice  toward  God's  faithful  ones 
will  be  punished  as  though  done  to   Christ  Himself. 

There  is  another  and  more  important  question  that 
should  engage  the  attention  of  the  churches  of  to-day. 
The  apostle  Paul  declares  that  "all  that  will  live  godly 
in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution.'"'  Why  is  it, 
then,  that  persecution  seems  in  a  great  degree  to  slumber? 
The  only  reason  is,  that  the  church  has  conformed  to  the 
world's  standard,  and  therefore  awakens  no  opposition. 
The  religion  which  is  current  in  our  day  is  not  of  the  pure 
and  holy  character  that  marked  the  Christian  faith  in  the 
days  of  Christ  and  His  apostles.  It  is  only  because  of 
the  spirit  of  compromise  vnth  sin,  because  the  great  truths 
of  the  word  of  God  are  so  indifferently  regarded,  because 
there  is  so  little  vital  godliness  in  the  church,  that  Chris- 
tianity is  apparently  so  popular  with  the  Morld.  Let  there 
be  a  re\aval  of  the  faith  and  power  of  the  early  church,  and 
the  spirit  of  persecution  will  be  revived,  and  the  fires 
of  persecution  will  be  rekindled. 

^2  Peter  3:9.  *2  Tim.  3:12. 


THE   APOSTASY -3 

The  apostle  Paul,  in  his  second  letter  to  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  foretold  the  great  apostasy  which  would  result  in 
the  establishment  of  the  papal  power.  He  declared  that  the 
day  of  Christ  should  not  come,  "except  there  come  a  falling 
ttway  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son  of  per- 
dition; who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is 
called  God,  or  that  is  worshiped;  so  that  he  as  God  sitteth 
in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God. ' '  * 
And  furthermore,  the  apostle  warns  his  brethren  that  "the 
mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work. ' ' '  Even  at  that 
early  date  he  saw,  creeping  into  the  church,  errors  that 
would  prepare  the  way  for  the  development  of  the  papacy. 

Little  by  little,  at  first  in  stealth  and  silence,  and  then 
more  openly  as  it  increased  in  strength  and  gained  control 
of  the  minds  of  men,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  carried  for- 
ward its  deceptive  and  blasphemous  work.  Almost  imper- 
ceptibly the  customs  of  heathenism  found  their  way  into 
the  Christian  church.  The  spirit  of  compromise  and  con- 
formity was  restrained  for  a  time  by  the  fierce  persecutions 
which  the  church  endured  under  paganism.  But  as  perse- 
cution ceased,  and  Christianity  entered  the  courts  and  pal- 
aces of  kings,  she  laid  aside  the  humble  simplicity  of  Christ 
and  His  apostles  for  the  pomp  and  pride  of  pagan  priests 
and  rulers;  and  in  place  of  the  requirements  of  God,  she 
substituted   human    theories   and    traditions.      The   nominal 


»2  Thess.  2:3,4,7. 


(49) 


50  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

conversion  of  Constantine,  in  the  early  part  of  the  fourth 
century,  caused  great  rejoicing;  and  the  world,  cloaked 
with  a  form  of  righteousness,  walked  into  the  church. 
Now  the  work  of  corruption  rapidly  progressed.  Paganism, 
while  appearing  to  be  vanquished,  became  the  conqueror. 
Her  spirit  controlled  the  church.  Her  doctrines,  cere- 
monies, and  superstitions  were  incorporated  into  the  faith 
and  worship   of  the  professed   followers   of   Christ. 

This  compromise  between  paganism  and  Christianity 
resulted  in  the  development  of  the  "man  of  sin"  foretold 
in  prophecy  as  opposing  and  exalting  himself  above  God. 
That  gigantic  system  of  false  religion  is  a  masterpiece  of 
Satan's  power, —  a  monument  of  his  efforts  to  seat  himself 
upon  the  throne  to  rule  the  earth  according  to  his  will. 

Satan  once  endeavored  to  form  a  compromise  with 
Christ.  He  came  to  the  Son  of  God  in  the  wilderness  of 
temptation,  and  showing  Him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
and  the  glory  of  them,  offered  to  give  all  into  His  hands  if 
He  would  but  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  the  prince  of 
darkness.  Christ  rebuked  the  presumptuous  tempter,  and 
forced  him  to  depart.  But  Satan  meets  with  greater  success 
in  presenting  the  same  temptations  to  man.  To  secure 
worldly  gains  and  honors,  the  church  was  led  to  seek  the 
favor  and  support  of  the  great  men  of  earth;  and  having 
thus  rejected  Christ,  she  was  induced  to  yield  allegiance 
to  the  representative  of  Satan, —  the  bishop   of  Rome. 

It  is  one  of  the  leading  doctrines  of  Romanism  that  the 
pope  is  the  visible  head  of  the  universal  church  of  Christ, 
invested  with  supreme  authority  over  bishops  and  pastors 
in  all  parts  of  the  world.  More  than  this,  the  pope  has 
been  given  the  very  titles  of  Deity.  He  has  been  styled 
"Lord  God  the  Pope,'"  and  has  been  declared  infallible. 
He  demands  the  homage  of  all  men.  The  same  claim 
urged  by  Satan  in  the  wilderness  of  temptation,  is  still 
urged  by  him  through  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  vast 
numbers  are  ready  to  yield  him  homage. 
*  See  Appendix. 


THE  APOSTASY  51- 

But  those  who  fear  and  reverence  God  meet  this  Heaven- 
daring  assumption  as  Christ  met  the  solicitations  of  the 
wily  foe :  ' '  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him 
only  shalt  thou  serve.'"  God  .has  never  given  a  hint  in  His 
word  that  He  has  appointed  any  man  to  be  the  head  of 
the  church.  The  doctrine  of  papal  supremacy  is  directly 
opposed  to  tlie  teachings  of  the  Scriptures.  The  pope  can 
have  no  power  over  Christ's  church  except  by  usurpation. 

Romanists  have  persisted  in  bringing  against  Protestants 
the  charge  of  heresy,  and  wilful  separation  from  the  true 
church.  But  these  accusations  apply  rather  to  themselves. 
They  are  the  ones  who  laid  down  the  banner  of  Christ,  and 
departed  from  ''the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  unto 
the   saints. ' '  ^ 

Satan  well  knew  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  would  enable 
men  to  discern  his  deceptions  and  withstand  his  power.  It 
was  by  the  Word  that  even  the  Saviour  of  the  world  had 
resisted  his  attacks.  At  every  assault,  Christ  presented  the 
,  shield  of  eternal  truth,  saying,  "It  is  written."  To  every 
suggestion  of  the  adversary,  He  opposed  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  the  Word.  In  order  for  Satan  to  maintain  his 
sway  over  men,  and  establish  the  authority  of  the  papal 
usurper,  he  must  keep  them  in  ignorance  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  Bible  would  exalt  God,  and  place  finite  men  in  their 
true  position ;  therefore  its  sacred  truths  must  be  concealed 
and  suppressed.  This  logic  was  adopted  by  the  Roman 
Churcli.  For  hundreds  of  years  the  circulation  of  the  Bible 
was  prohibited.  The  people  were  forbidden  to  read  it  or  to 
have  it  in  their  houses,  and  unprincipled  priests  and  prel- 
ates interpreted  its  teachings  to  sustain  tlieir  ]>ret('usions. 
Thus  the  pope  came  to  be  almost  universally  acknowledged 
as  the  vicegerent  of  God  on  earth,  endowed  with  authority 
over  church  and  state. 

The  detector  of  error  having  been  removed,  Satan  worked 
according  to  his  will.  Prophecy  had  declared  that  the 
papacy  was  to  "tliink  to  change  times  and  laws."'  This 
•Luke  4:8.  'Jude3.  »  Dan.  7:25. 


52  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

work  it  was  not  slow  to  attempt.  To  afford  converts  from 
heathenism  a  substitute  for  the  worship  of  idols,  and  thus 
to  promote  their  nominal  acceptance  of  Christianity,  the 
adoration  of  images  and  relics  was  gradually  introduced  into 
the  Christian  worship.  The  decree  of  a  general  council ' 
finally  established  this  system  of  idolatry.  To  complete  the 
sacrilegious  work,  Rome  presumed  to  expunge  from  the  law 
of  God  the  second  commandment,  forbidding  image  worship, 
and  to  divide  the  tenth  commandment,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  number. 

The  spirit  of  concession  to  paganism  opened  the  way  for 
a  still  further  disregard  of  Heaven's  authority.  Satan, 
working  through  unconsecrated  leaders  of  the  church,  tam- 
pered with  the  fourth  commandment  also,  and  essayed  to  set 
aside  the  ancient  Sabbath,  the  day  which  God  had  blessed 
and  sanctified,*  and  in  its  stead  to  exalt  the  festival  observed 
by  the  heathen  as  "the  venerable  day  of  the  sun."  This 
change  was  not  at  first  attempted  openly.  In  the  first  cen- 
turies the  true  Sabbath  had  been  kept  by  all  Christians. 
They  were  jealous  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  believing  that 
His  law  is  immutable,  they  zealously  guarded  the  sacredness 
of  its  precepts.  But  with  great  subtlety,  Satan  worked 
through  his  agents  to  bring  about  his  object.  That  the  atten- 
tion of  the  people  might  be  called  to  the  Sunday,  it  was 
made  a  festival  in  honor  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  Relig- 
ious services  were  held  upon  it ;  yet  it  was  regarded  as  a  day 
of  recreation,  the  Sabbath  being  still  sacredly  observed. 

To  prepare  the  way  for  the  work  which  he  designed  to 
accomplish,  Satan  had  led  the  Jews,  before  the  advent  of 
Christ,  to  load  down  the  Sabbath  with  the  most  rigorous 
exactions,  making  its  observance  a  burden.  Now,  taking 
advantage  of  the  false  light  in  which  he  had  thus  caused 
it  to  be  regarded,  he  cast  contempt  upon  it  as  a  Jewish 
institution.  While  Christians  generally  continued  to  observe 
the  Sunday  as  a  joyous  festival,  he  led  them,  in  order  to 
>See  Appendix.  'Gen.  2:2,3. 


THE  APOSTASY  53 

show  their  hatred  of  Judaism,  to  make  tlie  Sabbath  a  fast, 
a  day  of  sadness  and  gloom. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  fourth  century,  the  emperor 
Constantine  issued  a  decree  making  Sunday  a  public  fes- 
tival throughout  the  Roman  empire/  The  day  of  the  sun 
was  reverenced  by  his  pagan  subjects,  and  was  honored  by 
Christians;  it  was  the  emperor's  policy  to  unite  the  con^ 
flicting  interests  of  heathenism  and  Christianity.  He  was 
urged  to  do  this  by  the  bishops  of  the  church,  who,  inspired 
by  ambition  and  thirst  for  power,  perceived  that  if  the 
same  day  was  observed  by  both  Christians  and  heathen,  it 
would  promote  the  nominal  acceptance  of  Christianity  by 
pagans,  and  thus  advance  the  power  and  glory  of  the  church. 
But  while  many  God-fearing  Christians  were  gradually  led 
to  regard  Sunday  as  possessing  a  degree  of  sacredness,  they 
still  held  the  true  Sabbath  as  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  and 
observed  it  in  obedience  to  the  fourth  commandment. 

The  arch-deceiver  had  not  completed  his  work.  lie  was 
resolved  to  gather  the  Christian  world  under  his  banner, 
and  to  exercise  his  power  through  his  vicegerent,  the  proud 
pontiff  who  claimed  to  be  the  representative  of  Christ. 
Through  half-converted  pagans,  ambitious  prelates,  and 
world-loving  churchmen,  he  accomplished  his  purpose.  Vast 
councils  were  held  from  time  to  time,  in  which  the  dig- 
nitaries of  the  church  were  convened  from  all  the  world. 
In  nearly  every  council  the  Sabbath  which  God  had  insti- 
tuted was  pressed  down  a  little  lower,-  while  tiie  Sunday 
was  correspondingly  exalted.  Tiuis  the  pagan  festival  came 
finally  to  be  honored  as  a  divine  institution,  while  the  Bible 
Sabbath  was  pronounced  a  relic  of  Judaism,  and  its  ob- 
servers were  declared  to  be  accursed. 

The  great  apostate  had  succeeded  in  exalting  himself 
"above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshiped."*  He 
had  dared  to  change  the  only  precept  of  tlie  divine  law  that 
unmistakably  points  all  mankind  to  the  true  and  living 
God.  In  the  fourth  commandment,  God  is  revealed  as  the 
'  See  Appendix.  "  2  Thess.  2  -A. 


54  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Creator  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  is  thereby  dis- 
tinguished from  all  false  gods.  It  was  as  a  memorial  of 
the  work  of  creation  that  the  seventh  day  was  sanctified 
as  a  rest-day  for  man.  It  was  designed  to  keep  the  living 
God  ever  before  the  minds  of  men  as  the  source  of  being 
and  the  object  of  reverence  and  worship.  Satan  strives  to 
turn  men  from  their  allegiance  to  God,  and  from  rendering 
obedience  to  His  law;  therefore  he  directs  his  efforts  espe- 
cially against  that  commandment  which  points  to  God  as 
the  Creator. 

Protestants  now  urge  that  the  resurrection  of  Christ  on 
Sunday  made  it  the  Cliristian  Sabbath.  But  Scripture  evi- 
dence is  lacking.  No  such  honor  was  given  to  the  day  by 
Christ  or  His  apostles.  The  observance  of  Sunday  as  a 
Christian  institution  had  its  origin  in  that  "mystery  of 
lawlessness ' ' '  which,  even  in  Paul 's  day,  had  begun  its 
work.  Where  and  when  did  the  Lord  adopt  this  child  of 
the  papacy?  What  valid  reason  can  be  given  for  a  change 
which  the  Scriptures"  do  not  sanction? 

In  the  sixth  century  the  papacy  had  become  firmly  estab- 
lished. Its  seat  of  power  was  fixed  in  the  imperial  city, 
and  the  bishop  of  Rome  was  declared  to  be  the  head  over 
the  entire  church.  Paganism  had  given  place  to  the  papacy. 
The  dragon  had  given  to  the  beast  "his  power,  and  his 
seat,  and  great  authority.""  And  now  began  the  1260 
years  of  papal  oppression  foretold  in  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel  and  the  Revelation."  Christians  were  forced  to 
choose  either  to  yield  their  integrity  and  accept  the  papal 
ceremonies  and  worship,  or  to  wear  away  their  lives  in  dun- 
geons or  suffer  death  by  the  rack,  the  fagot,  or  the  heads- 
man's axe.  Now  were  fulfilled  the  words  of  Jesus:  "Ye 
shall  be  betrayed  both  by  parents,  and  brethren,  and  kins- 
folks, and  friends;  and  some  of  you  shall  they  cause  to  be 
put  to  death.  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  My 
name's  sake,"^  Persecution  opened  upon  the  faithful  with 
greater  fury  than  ever  before,  and  the  world  became  a  vast 

'2  Thess.  2:7,  E,  V.  'Kev.  13:2;   see  Appendix, 

'Dan,  7:25;  Eev.  13:5-7.  'Luke  21:16,  17. 


THE  APOSTASY  66 

battle-field.  For  hundreds  of  years  the  church  of  Christ 
found  refuge  in  seclusion  and  obscurity.  Thus  says  the 
prophet:  "The  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she 
hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her 
there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days. ' '  * 

The  accession  of  the  Roman  Church  to  power  marked  the 
beginning  of  the  Dark  Ages.  As  her  power  increased, 
the  darkness  deepened.  Faith  was  transferred  from  Christ, 
the  true  foundation,  to  the  pope  of  Rome.  Instead  of  trust- 
ing in  the  Son  of  God  for  forgiveness  of  sins  and  for  eternal 
salvation,  the  people  looked  to  the  pope,  and  to  the  priests 
and  prelates  to  whom  he  delegated  authority.  They  were 
taught  that  the  pope  was  their  earthly  mediator,  and  that 
none  could  approach  God  except  through  him ;  and  further, 
that  he  stood  in  the  place  of  God  to  them,  and  was  there- 
fore to  be  implicitly  obeyed.  A  deviation  from  his  require- 
ments was  sufficient  cause  for  the  severest  punishment  to 
be  visited  upon  the  bodies  and  souls  of  the  offenders.  Thus 
the  minds  of  the  people  were  turned  away  from  God  to 
fallible,  erring,  and  cruel  men,  nay,  more,  to  the  prince  of 
darkness  himself,  who  exercised  his  power  through  them. 
Sin  was  disguised  in  a  garb  of  sanctity.  When  the  Scrip- 
tures are  suppressed,  and  man  comes  to  regard  himself  as 
supreme,  we  need  look  only  for  fraud,  deception,  and 
debasing  iniquity.  "With  the  elevation  of  human  laws  and 
traditions,  was  manifest  the  corruption  that  ever  results 
from  setting  aside  the  law  of  God. 

Those  were  days  of  peril  for  the  church  of  Christ.  The 
faithful  standard-bearers  were  few  indeed.  Though  the 
truth  was  not  left  without  witnesses,  yet  at  times  it  seemed 
that  error  and  superstition  would  wholly  prevail,  and  true 
religion  M''0uld  be  bani.shed  from  the  earth.  The  gospel  was 
lost  sight  of,  but  the  forms  of  religion  were  multiplied,  and 
the  people  were  burdened  with  rigorous  exactions. 

They  were  taught  not  only  to  look  to  the  pope  as  tlieii- 
mediator,  ITuFto  trustJtQ..  .works  of  their  owri  to  atone  for  sin^  » 
Long  pilgrimages,   acts   of  penance,   the  worship   of   relics, 

'  Rev.  12:6. 


66  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  erection  of  churches,  shrines,  and  altars,  the  payment 
of  large  sums  to  the  church, —  these  and  many  similar  acts 
were  enjoined  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God  or  to  secure  His 
favor;  as  if  God  were  like  men,  to  be  angered  at  trifles, 
or  pacified  by  gifts  or  acts  of  penance! 

Notwithstanding  that  vice  prevailed,  even  among  the 
leaders  of  the  Roman  Church,  her  influence  seemed  steadily 
to  increase.  About  the  close  of  the  eighth  century,  papists 
put  forth  the  claim  that  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church  the 
bishops  of  Rome  had  possessed  the  same  spiritual  power 
which  they  now  assumed.  To  establish  this  claim,  some 
means  must  be  employed  to  give  it  a  show  of  authority; 
and  this  was  readily  suggested  by  the  father  of  lies. 
Ancient  writings  were  forged  by  monks.  Decrees  of  coun- 
cils before  unheard  of,  were  discovered,  establishing  the 
universal  supremacy  of  the  pope  from  the  earliest  times. 
And  a  church  that  had  rejected  the  truth,  greedily  ac- 
cepted these  deceptions.* 

The  few  faithful  builders  upon  tlie  true  foundation  * 
were  perplexed  and  hindered,  as  the  rubbish  of  false  doc- 
trine obstructed  the  work.  Like  the  builders  upon  the  wall 
of  Jerusalem  in  Nehemiah's  day,  some  were  ready  to  say, 
"The  strength  of  the  bearers  of  burdens  is  decayed,  and 
there  is  much  rubbish ;  so  that  Ave  are  not  able  to  build. ' '  * 
"Wearied  with  the  constant  struggle  against  persecution, 
fraud,  iniquity,  and  every  other  obstacle  that  Satan  could 
devise  to  hinder  their  progress,  some  who  had  been  faithful 
builders  became  disheartened;  and  for  the  sake  of  peace  and 
security  for  their  property  and  their  lives,  they  turned  away 
from  the  true  foundation.  Others,  undaunted  by  the  oppo- 
sition of  their  enemies,  fearlessly  declared,  "Be  not  ye  afraid 
of  them :  remember  the  Lord,  which  is  great  and  terrible ; "  * 
and  they  proceeded  with  the  work,  every  one  with  his 
sword  girded  by  his  side.* 

The  same  spirit  of  hatred  and  opposition  to  the  truth 
has  inspired  the  enemies  of  God  in  every  age,  'and  the  same 

'  See  Appendix.  «1  Cor.  3:10,  11.  ^Neh.  4:10,  14. 

*Eph.  6:17. 


THE  APOSTASY  57 

vigilance  and  fidelity  have  been  required  in  His  servants. 
The  words  of  Christ  to  the  first  disciples  are  applicable  to 
His  followers  to  the  close  of  time:  "What  I  say  unto  you 
I  say  unto  all,  Watch. ' '  * 

The  darkness  seemed  to  grow  more  dense.  Image  wor- 
ship became  more  general.  Candles  were  burned  before 
images,  and  prayers  were  offered  to  them.  The  most  ab- 
surd and  superstitious  customs  prevailed.  The  minds  of 
men  were  so  completely  controlled  by  superstition  that  rea- 
son itself  seemed  to  have  lost  its  sway.  While  priests  and 
bishops  were  themselves  pleasure-loving,  sensual,  and  cor- 
rupt, it  could  only  be  expected  that  the  people  who  looked 
to  them  for  guidance  would  be  sunken  in  ignorance  and  vice. 

Another  step  in  papal  assumption  was  taken,  when,  in 
the  eleventh  century,  Pope  Gregory  VII.  proclaimed  the 
perfection  of  the  Roman  Church.  Among  the  propositions 
which  he  put  forth,  was  one  declaring  that  the  church  had 
never  erred,  nor  would  it  ever  err,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures. But  the  Scripture  proofs  did  not  accompany  the 
assertion.  The  proud  pontiff  also  claimed  the  power  to 
depose  emperors,  and  declared  that  no  sentence  which  he 
pronounced  could  be  reversed  by  any  one,  but  that  it  was 
his  prerogative  to  reverse  the  decisions  of  all  others.* 

A  striking  illustration  of  the  tyrannical  character  of  this 
advocate  of  infallibility  was  given  in  his  treatment  of  the 
German  emperor,  Henry  IV.  For  presuming  to  disregard 
the  pope's  authority,  this  monarch  was  declared  to  be  ex- 
communicated and  dethroned.  Terrified  by  the  desertion 
and  threats  of  his  own  princes,  who  were  encouraged  in 
rebellion  against  him  by  the  papal  mandate,  Henry  felt  the 
necessity  of  making  his  peace  with  Rome.  In  company 
with  his  wife  and  a  faithful  servant,  he  crossed  the  Alps  in 
midwinter,  that  he  might  humble  himself  before  the  pope. 
Upon  reaching  the  castle  whither  Gregory  had  withdrawn, 
he  was  conducted,  without  his  guards,  into  an  outer  court, 
and  there,  in  the  severe  cold  of  winter,  with  uncovered  head 
•Mark  13:37.  »See  Appendix. 


68  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

and  naked  feet,  and  in  a  miserable  dress,  he  awaited  the 
pope's  permission  to  come  into  his  presence.  Not  until  he 
had  continued  three  daj^s  fasting  and  making  confession, 
did  the  pontiff  condescend  to  grant  him  pardon.  Even 
then  it  was  only  upon  condition  that  the  emperor  should 
await  the  sanction  of  the  pope  before  resuming  the  insignia 
or  exercising  the  power  of  royalty.  And  Gregory,  elated 
with  his  triumph,  boasted  that  it  was  his  duty  to  pull 
down   the  pride  of  kings. 

How  striking  the  contrast  between  the  overbearing  pride 
of  this  haughty  pontiff  and  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of 
Clirist,  who  represents  Himself  as  pleading  at  the  door  of 
the  heart  for  admittance,  that  He  may  come  in  to  bring 
pardon  and  peace,  and  who  taught  His  disciples,  "Whoso- 
ever will  be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant. ' '  * 

The  advancing  centuries  witnessed  a  constant  increase  of 
error  in  the  doctrines  j)ut  forth  from  Rome.  Even  before 
the  establishment  of  the  papacy,  tlie  teachings  of  heathen 
philosophers  had  received  attention  and  exerted  an  influ- 
enee  in  the  church.  Many  who  professed  conversion  still 
clung  to  the  tenets  of  their  pagan  philosophy,  and  not 
only  continued  its  study  themselves,  but  urged  it  upon 
others  as  a  means  of  extending  their  influence  among  the 
heathen.  Serious  errors  were  thus  -introduced  into  the 
Christian  faith.  Prominent  among  these  was  the  belief  in 
man's  natural  immortality  and  his  consciousness  in  death. 
This  doctrine  laid  the  foundation  upon  which  Rome  estab- 
lished the  invocation  of  saints  and  the  adoration  of  the 
Virgin  Mary.  From  this  sprung  also  the  heresy  of  eternal 
torment  for  the  finally  impenitent,  which  was  early  incor- 
porated into  the  papal  faith. 

Then  the  way  was  prepared  for  the  introduction  of  still 
another  invention  of  paganism,  which  Rome  named  purga- 
tory, and  employed  to  terrify  the  credulous  and  supersti- 
tious multitudes.  By  this  heresy  is  affirmed  the  existence 
of  a  place  of  torment,  in  which  the  souls  of  such  as  have 

*Matt.  20:27. 


THE  APOSTASY  89 

not  merited  eternal  damnation  are  to  suffer  punishment 
for  their  sins,  and  from  which,  when  freed  from  impurity, 
they  are   admitted  to   heaven.' 

Still  another  fabrication  was  needed  to  enable  Rome  to 
profit  by  the  fears  and  the  vices  of  her  adherents.  This  was 
supplied  by  the  doctrine  of  indulgences.  Full  remission  of 
sins,  past,  present,  and  future,  and  release  from  all  the  pains 
and  penalties  incurred,  were  promised  to  all  who  Sv^ould 
enlist  in  the  pontiff's  wars  to  extend  his  temporal  dominion, 
to  punish  his  enemies,  or  to  exterminate  those  who  dared 
deny  his  spiritual  supremacy.  The  people  were  also  taught 
that  by  the  paj^ment  of  money  to  the  church  they  might  free 
themselves  from  sin,  and  also  release  the  souls  of  their 
deceased  friends  who  were  confined  in  the  tormenting  flames. 
By  such  means  did  Rome  fill  her  coffers,  and  sustain  the 
magnificence,  luxury,  and  vice  of  the  pretended  representa- 
tives of  Him  who  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head.' 

The  scriptural  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper  had  been 
supplanted  by  the  idolatrous  sacrifice  of  the  mass.  Papal 
priests  pretended,  by  their  senseless  mummery,  to  convert 
the  simple  l)read  and  wine  into  the  actual  "body  and 
blood  of  Clirist.""  With  blasphemous  presumption,  they 
openly  claimed  the  power  of  creating  God,  the  Creator  of 
all  things.  Christians  were  required,  on  pain  of  death,  to 
avow  their  faith  in  this  horrible.  Heaven-insulting  heresy. 
Multitudes  who  refused  were  given  to  the  flames/ 

In  the  thirteenth  century  was  established  that  most  ter- 
rible of  all  the  engines  of  the  papacy, —  the  Inquisition. 
The  prince  of  darkness  wrought  with  the  leaders  of  the 
papal  hierarchy.  In  their  secret  councils,  Satan  and  his 
angels  controlled  the  minds  of  evil  men,  while  unseen  in  the 
midst  stood  an  angel  of  God,  taking  the  fearful  record  of 
their  iniquitous  decrees,  and  writing  the  history  of  deeds 
too  horrible  to  appear  to  human  eyes.  "Babylon  the  great" 
was  "drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints."  The  mangled 
■  forms  of  millions  of  martyrs  cried  to  God  for  vengeance 
upon  that  apostate  power. 

'See  Appendix.       *  Cardinal  Wiseman's  Locturps  on  "The  Real 
Presence,"  Lecture  8,  sec.  3,  par.  26. 


60  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Popery  had  become  the  world's  despot.  Kings  and  emper- 
ors bowed  to  the  decrees  of  the  Roman  pontiff.  The  destinies 
of  men,  both  for  time  and  for  eternity,  seemed  under  his  con- 
trol. For  hundreds  of  years  the  doctrines  of  Rome  had  been 
extensively  and  implicitly  received,  its  rites  reverently  per- 
formed, its  festivals  generally  observed.  Its  clergy  were  hon- 
ored and  liberally  sustained.  Never  since  has  the  Roman 
Church  attained  to  greater  dignity,  magnificence,  or  power. 

But  ''the  noon  of  the  papacy  was  the  midnight  of  the 
world."*  The  Holy  Scriptures  were  almost  unknown,  not 
only  to  the  people,  but  to  the  priests.  Like  the  Pharisees  of 
old,  the  papal  leaders  hated  the  light  which  would  reveal 
their  sins.  God's  law,  the  standard  of  righteou.sness,  having 
been  removed,  they  exercised  power  without  limit,  and  prac- 
tised vice  without  restraint.  Fraud,  avarice,  and  profligacy 
prevailed.  Men  shrank  from  no  crime  by  which  they  could 
gain  wealth  or  position.  The  palaces  of  popes  and  prelates 
were  scenes  of  the  vilest  debauchery.  Some  of  the  reigning 
pontiffs  were  guilty  of  crimes  so  revolting  that  secular  rulers 
endeavored  to  depose  tliese  dignitaries  of  the  church  as 
monsters  too  vile  to  be  tolerated.  For  centuries  Europe  had 
made  no  progress  in  learning,  arts,  or  civilization.  A  moral 
and  intellectual  paralysis  had  fallen  upon  Christendom. 

The  condition  of  the  world  under  the  Romish  power  pre- 
sented a  fearful  and  striking  fulfilment  of  the  words  of  the 
prophet  Hosea:  "My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowl- 
edge: because  thou  hast  rejected  knowledge,  1  will  also 
reject  thee :  .  .  .  seeing  thou  hast  forgotten  the  law  of  thy 
God,  I  wall  also  forget  thy  children."  "There  is  no  truth, 
nor  mercy,  nor  knowledge  of  God  in  the  land.  By  swear- 
ing, and  lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing,  and  committing 
adultery,  they  break  out,  and  blood  toucheth  blood."* 
Such  were  the  results  of  banishing  the  word  of  God. 

* WyKe, " History  of  Protestantism/'  book  1,  chap    4. 
^^  Hosea  4:6,1,2. 


THE   WALDENSES-4 

Amid  the  gloom  that  settled  upon  the  earth  during  the 
long  period  of  papal  supremacy,  the  light  of  truth  could  not 
be  wholly  extinguished.  In  every  age  there  were  witnesses 
for  God, —  men  who  cherished  faith  in  Christ  as  the  only 
mediator  between  God  and  man,  who  held  the  Bible  as  the 
only  rule  of  life,  and  who  hallowed  the  true  Sabbath.  How 
much  the  world  owes  to  these  men,  posterity  will  never 
know.  They  were  branded  as  heretics,  their  motives  im- 
pugned, their  characters  maligned,  their  writings  suppressed, 
misrepresented,  or  mutilated.  Yet  they  stood  firm,  and 
from  age  to  age  maintained  their  faith  in  its  purity,  as  a 
sacred  heritage  for  the  generations  to  come. 

The  history  of  God's  people  during  the  ages  of  darkness 
that  followed  upon  Rome's  supremacy,  is  written  in  heaven, 
but  they  have  little  place  in  human  records.  Few  traces 
of  their  existence  can  be  found,  except  in  the  accusations 
of  their  persecutors.  It  was  the  policy  of  Rome  to  obliter- 
ate every  trace  of  dissent  from  her  doctrines  or  decrees. 
Everything  heretical,  whether  persons  or  writings,  she 
sought  to  destroy.  Expressions  of  doubt,  or  questions  as  to 
the  authority  of  papal  dogmas,  were  enough  to  forfeit  the 
life  of  rich  or  poor,  high  or  low.  Rome  endeavored  also  to 
destroy  every  record  of  her  cruelty  toward  dissenters.  Papal 
councils  decreed  that   books   and   writings   containing   such 

(61) 


62  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

records  should  be  committed  to  the  flames.  Before  the  in- 
vention of  printing,  books  were  few  in  number,  and  in  a  form 
not  favorable  for  preservation  -  therefore  there  was  little  to 
prevent  the  Romanists  from  carrying  out  their  purpose. 

No  church  within  the  limits  of  Romish  jurisdiction  was 
long  left  undisturbed  in  the  enjoyment  of  freedom  of  con- 
science. No  sooner  had  the  papacy  obtained  power  than 
she  stretched  out  her  arms  to  crush  all  that  refused  to 
acknowledge  her  sway;  and  one  after  another,  the  churches 
submitted  to  her  dominion. 

In  Great  Britain,  primitive  Christianity  had  very  early 
taken  root.  The  gospel  received  bj'  the  Britons  in  the 
first  centuries,  was  then  uncorrupted  by  Romish  apostasy. 
Persecution  from  pagan  emperors,  which  extended  even  to 
these  far-off  shores,  was  the  only  gift  that  the  first  churches 
of  Britain  received  from  Rome.  Many  of  the  Christians, 
fleeing  from  persecution  in  England,  found  refuge  in 
Scotland;  thence  the  truth  was  carried  to  Ireland,  and  in 
all  these  countries  it  was  received  with  gladness. 

"When  the  Saxons  invaded  Britain,  heathenism  gained 
control.  The  conquerors  disdained  to  be  instructed  by  their 
slaves,  and  the  Christians  were  forced  to  retreat  to  the 
mountains  and  the  wild  moors.  Yet  the  light,  hidden  for 
a  time,  continued  to  burn.  In  Scotland,  a  century  later, 
it  shone  out  with  a  briglitness  that  extended  to  far-distant 
lands.  From  Ireland  came  the  pious  Columba  and  his  co- 
laborers,  who,  gathering  about  them  the  scattered  believers 
on  the  lonely  island  of  lona,  made  this  the  center  of  their 
missionary  labors.  Among  these  evangelists  was  an  ob- 
server of  the  Bible  Sabbath,  and  thus  this  truth  was  intro- 
duced among  the  people.  A  school  was  established  at  lona, 
from  which  missionaries  went  out,  not  only  to  Scotland  and 
England,  but  to  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  even  Italy. 

But  Rome  had  fixed  her  eyes  on  Britain,  and  resolved 
to  bring  it  under  her  supremacy.  In  the  sixth  century 
her   missionaries   undertook   the   conversion   of   the   heathen 


THE   WALBENSES  63 

Saxons.  They  were  received  with  favor  by  the  proud  bar- 
barians, and  they  induced  many  thousands  to  profess  the 
Romish  faith.  As  the  work  progressed,  the  papal  leaders 
and  their  converts  encountered  the  primitive  Christians. 
A  striking  contrast  was  presented.  The  latter  were  simple, 
humble,  and  scriptural  in  character,  doctrine,  and  manners, 
while  the  former  manifested  the  superstition,  pomp,  and 
arrogance  of  popery.  The  emissary  of  Rome  demanded 
that  these  Christian  churches  acknowledge  the  supremacy 
of  the  sovereign  pontiff.  The  Britons  meekly  replied  that 
they  desired  to  love  all  men,  but  that  the  pope  was  not 
entitled  to  supremacy  in  the  church,  and  they  could  render 
to  him  only  that  submission  which  was  due  to  every  follower 
of  Christ.  Repeated  attempts  were  made  to  secure  their 
allegiance  to  Rome;  but  these  humble  Christians,  amazed 
at  the  pride  displayed  by  her  emissaries,  steadfastly  replied 
that  they  knew  no  other  master  than  Christ.  Now  the  true 
spirit  of  the  papacy  was  revealed.  Said  the  Romish  leader: 
"If  you  will  not  receive  brethren  who  bring  you  peace,  you 
shall  receive  enemies  M^ho  will  bring  you  war.  If  you  will 
not  unite  with  us  in  showing  the  Saxons  the  way  of  life, 
you  shall  receive  from  them  the  stroke  of  death. ' ' '  These 
were  no  idle  threats.  "War,  intrigue,  and  deception  were 
employed  against  these  witnesses  for  a  Bible  faith,  until  the 
churches  of  Britain  were  destroyed,  or  forced  to  submit  to 
the  authority  of  the  pope. 

In  lands  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  Rome,  there  existed 
for  many  centuries  bodies  of  Christians  who  remained  al- 
most wholly  free  from  papal  corruption.  They  were  sur- 
rounded by  heathenism,  and  in  the  lapse  of  ages  were 
affected  by  its  errors ;  but  they  continued  to  regard  the  Bible 
as  the  only  rule  of  faith,  and  adhered  to  many  of  its  truths. 
These  Christians  believed  in  the  perpetuity  of  the  law  of 
God,  and  observed  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  command- 
ment. Churches  that  held  to  this  faith  and  practice,  existed 
in  Central  Africa  and  among  the  Armenians  of  Asia. 

* D'Aubigne,  "History  of  the  Reformation  of  the 
Sixteenth  Century,"  b.  17,  ch.  2. 


64  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

But  of  those  who  resisted  the  encroachments  of  the  papal 
power,  the  Waldenses  stood  foremost.  In  the  very  land 
where  popery  had  fixed  its  seat,  there  its  falsehood  and 
corruption  were  most  steadfastly  resisted.  For  centuries  the 
churches  of  Piedmont  maintained  their  independence;  but 
the  time  came  at  last  when  Kome  insisted  upon  their  sub- 
mission. After  ineffectual  struggles  against  her  tyranny, 
the  leaders  of  these  churches  reluctantly  acknowledged  the 
supremacy  of  the  power  to  which  the  whole  world  seemed 
to  pay  homage.  There  were  some,  however,  who  refused  to 
yield  to  the  autliority  of  pope  or  prelate.  They  were  de- 
termined to  maintain  their  allegiance  to  God,  and  to  pre- 
serve the  purity  and  simplicity  of  their  faith.  A  separation 
took  place.  Those  who  adhered  to  the  ancient  faith  now 
withdrew;  some,  forsaking  their  native  Alps,  raised  the 
banner  of  truth  in  foreign  lands;  others  retreated  to  the 
secluded  glens  and  rocky  fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  and 
ihere  preserved  their  freedom  to  worship  God. 

Tlie  faith  whicli  for  many  centuries  was  held  and  taught 
by  tlie  Waldensian  Christians,  was  in  marked  contrast  to 
the  false  doctrines  put  forth  from  Rome.  Their  religious 
belief  was  founded  upon  the  written  word  of  God,  the  true 
system  of  Christianity.  But  those  humble  peasants,  in  their 
obscure  retreats,  shut  away  from  the  world,  and  bound  to 
daily  toil  among  their  flocks  and  their  vineyards,  had  not 
by  themselves  arrived  at  the  truth  in  opposition  to  the 
dogmas  and  heresies  of  the  apostate  church.  Theirs  was 
not  a  faith  newly  received.  Their  religious  belief  was  their 
inheritance  from  their  fathers.  They  contended  for  the 
faith  of  the  apostolic  church, — "the  faith  which  was  once 
delivered  unto  the  saints."'  "The  church  in  the  wilder- 
ness," and  not  the  proud  hierarchy  enthroned  in  the  world's 
great  capital,  was  the  true  church  of  Christ,  the  guardian 
of  the  treasures  of  truth  which  God  has  committed  to  His 
people  to  be  given  to  the  world. 

'Jude  3. 


THE  WALDENSES  66 

Among  the  leading  causes  that  had  led  to  the  separation 
of  the  true  church  from  Rome,  was  the  hatred  of  the  latter 
toward  the  Bible  Sabbath.  As  foretold  by  prophecy,  the 
papal  power  cast  down  the  truth  to  the  ground.  The  law 
of  God  was  trampled  in  the  dust,  while  the  traditions  and 
customs  of  men  were  exalted.  The  churches  that  were 
under  the  rule  of  the  papacy  were  early  compelled  to  honor 
the  Sunday  as  a  holy  day.  Amid  the  prevailing  error  and 
superstition,  many,  even  of  the  true  people  of  God,  became 
so  bewildered  that  while  they  observed  the  Sabbath,  they 
refrained  from  labor  also  on  the  Sunday.  But  this  did  not 
satisfy  the  papal  leaders.  They  demanded  not  only  that 
Sunday  be  hallowed,  but  that  the  Sabbath  be  profaned;  and 
they  denounced  in  the  strongest  language  those  who  dared 
to  show  it  honor.  It  was  only  by  fleeing  from  the  power 
of  Rome  that  any  could  obey  God's  law  in  peace. 

The  Waldenses  were  among  the  first  of  the  peoples  of 
Europe  to  obtain  a  translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,* 
Hundreds  of  years  before  the  Reformation,  they  possessed 
the  Bible  in  manuscript  in  their  native  tongue.  They  had 
the  truth  unadulterated,  and  this  rendered  them  the  special 
objects  of  hatred  and  persecution.  They  declared  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  be  the  apostate  Babylon  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, and  at  the  peril  of  their  lives  they  stood  up  to  resist 
her  corruptions.  While,  under  the  pressure  of  long- 
continued  persecution,  some  compromised  their  faith,  little 
by  little  yielding  its  distinctive  principles,  others  held  fast 
the  truth.  Through  ages  of  darkness  and  apostasy,  there 
were  Waldenses  who  denied  the  supremacy  of  Rome,  who 
rejected  image  worship  as  idolatry,  and  who  kept  the  true 
Sabbath.  Under  the  fiercest  tempests  of  opposition  they 
maintained  their  faith.  Though  gashed  by  the  Savoyard 
spear,  and  scorched  by  the  Romish  fagot,  they  stood  un- 
flinchingly for  God's  word  and  His  honor. 

Behind  .the  lofty  bulwarks  of  the  mountains, —  in  all 
ages  the  refuge  oi  the  persecuted  and  oppressed, —  the  Wal- 

*  See  Appendix. 

3— G.  C. 


66  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

denses  found  a  hiding-place.  Here  the  light  of  truth  was 
kept  burning  amid  the  darkness  of  the  Middle  Ages.  Here, 
for  a  thousand  years,  witnesses  for  the  truth  maintained  the 
ancient  faith, 

God  had  provided  for  His  people  a  sanctuary  of  awful 
grandeur,  befitting  the  mighty  truths  committed  to  their 
trust.  To  those  faithful  exiles  the  mountains  were  an  em- 
blem of  the  immutable  righteousness  of  Jehovah.  They 
pointed  their  children  to  the  heights  towering  above  them 
in  unchanging  majesty,  and  spoke  to  them  of  Him  with 
whom  there  is  no  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turning,  whose 
word  is  as  enduring  as  the  everlasting  hills.  God  had  set 
fast  the  mountains,  and  girded  them  with  strength;  no  arm 
but  that  of  Infinite  Power  could  move  them  out  of  their 
place.  In  like  manner  He  had  established  His  law,  the 
foundation  of  His  government  in  heaven  and  upon  earth. 
The  arm  of  man  might  reach  his  fellow-men  and  destroy 
their  lives;  l)ut  that  arm  could  as  readily  uproot  the  moun- 
tains from  their  foundations,  and  luirl  them  into  the  sea,  as 
it  could  change  one  precept  of  the  law  of  Jehovah,  or  blot 
out  one  of  His  promises  to  those  who  do  His  will.  In  their 
fidelity  to  His  law,  God's  servants  should  be  as  firm  as  the 
unchanging  hills. 

The  mountains  that  girded  their  lowly  valleys  were  a 
constant  witness  to  God's  creative  power,  and  a  never-failing 
assurance  of  His  protecting  care.  Those  pilgrims  learned  to 
love  the  silent  symbols  of  Jehovah's  presence.  They  in- 
dulged no  repining  because  of  the  hardships  of  their  lot; 
they  were  never  lonely  amid  the  mountain  solitudes.  They 
thanked  God  that  He  had  provided  for  them  an  asylum  from 
the  wrath  and  cruelty  of  men.  Tliey  rejoiced  in  their  free- 
dom to  worship  before  Him.  Often  when  pursued  by  their 
enemies,  the  strength  of  the  hills  proved  a  sure  defense. 
From  many  a  lofty  cliff  they  chanted  the  praise  of  God, 
and  the  armies  of  Rome  could  not  silence  their  songs  of 
thanksgiving. 


THE    WALDENSES  &t 

Pure,  simple,  and  fervent  was  the  piety  of  these  followers 
of  Christ.  The  principles  of  truth  they  valued  above  houses 
and  lands,  friends,  kindred,  even  life  itself.  These  princi- 
ples they  earnestly  sought  to  impress  upon  the  hearts  of  the 
young.  From  earliest  childhood  the  youth  were  instructed 
in  the  Scriptures,  and  taught  to  regard  sacredly  the  claims 
of  the  law  of  God.  Copies  of  the  Bible  were  rare;  therefore 
its  precious  words  were  committed  to  memory.  Many  were 
able  to  repeat  large  portions  of  both  the  Old  and  the  New 
Testament.  Thoughts  of  God  were  associated  alike  with  the 
sublime  scenery  of  nature  and  with  the  humble  blessings  of 
daily  life.  Little  children  learned  to  look  with  gratitude 
to  God  as  the  giver  of  every  favor  and  every  comfort. 

Parents,  tender  and  affectionate  as  they  were,  loved  their 
children  too  wisely  to  accustom  them  to  self-indulgence. 
Before  them  was  a  life  of  trial  and  hardship,  perhaps  a 
martyr's  death.  They  were  educated  from  childhood  to 
endure  hardness,  to  submit  to  control,  and  yet  to  think  and 
act  for  themselves.  Very  early  they  were  taught  to  bear 
responsibilities,  to  be  guarded  in  speech,  and  to  understand 
tlie  wisdom  of  silence.  One  indiscreet  word  let  fall  in  the 
hearing  of  their  enemies,  might  imperil  not  only  the  life  of 
the  speaker,  but  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  his  brethren ;  for  as 
wolves  hunting  their  prey  did  the  enemies  of  truth  pursue 
those  who  dared  to  claim  freedom  of  religious  faith. 

The  Waldenses  had  sacrificed  their  worldly  prosperity 
for  the  truth's  sake,  and  with  persevering  patience  they 
toiled  for  their  bread.  Every  spot  of  tillable  land  among 
the  mountains  was  carefully  improved;  the  valleys  and  the 
less  fertile  hillsides  were  made  to  yield  their  increase. 
Economy  and  severe  self-denial  formed  a  part  of  the  edu- 
cation which  the  children  received  as  their  only  legacy. 
They  were  taught  that  God  designs  life  to  be  a  discipline, 
and  that  their  wants  could  be  supplied  only  by  personal 
labor,  by  forethought,  care,  and  faith.  The  process  was 
laborious  and  wearisome,  but  it  Avas  wholesome,  just  what 


68  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

man  needs  in  his  fallen  state,  the  school  which  God  has 
provided  for  his  training  and  development.  While  the 
youth  were  inured  to  toil  and  hardship,  the  culture  of 
the  intellect  was  not  neglected.  They  were  taught  that 
all  their  powers  belonged  to  God,  and  that  all  were  to  be 
improved  and  developed  for  His  service. 

The  Vaudois  churches,  in  their  purity  and  simplicity, 
resembled  the  church  of  apostolic  times.  Rejecting  the 
supremacy  of  pope  and  prelate,  they  held  the  Bible  as 
the  only  supreme,  infallible  autliority.  Their  pastors,  un- 
like the  lordly  priests  of  Rome,  followed  the  example  of 
their  Master,  who  "came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister."  They  fed  the  flock  of  God,  leading  them  to  the 
green  pastures  and  li\'ing  fountains  of  His  holy  word.  Far 
from  the  monuments  of  human  pomp  and  pride,  the  people 
assembled,  not  in  magnificent  churches  or  grand  cathedrals, 
but  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  mountains,  in  the  Alpine 
valleys,  or,  in  time  of  danger,  in  some  rocky  stronghold,  to 
listen  to  the  words  of  truth  from  the  servants  of  Christ. 
The  pastors  not  only  preached  the  gospel,  but  they  visited 
the  sick,  catechized  the  children,  admonished  the  erring,  and 
labored  to  settle  disputes  and  promote  harmony  and  broth- 
erly love.  In  times  of  peace  they  were  sustained  by  the 
freewill  offerings  of  the  people;  but,  like  Paul  the  tent- 
maker,  each  learned  some  trade  or  profession  by  which,  if 
necessary,  to  provide  for  his  own  support. 

From  their  pastors  the  youth  received  instruction.  While 
attention  was  given  to  branches  of  general  learning,  the 
Bible  was  made  the  chief  study.  The  Gospels  of  Matthew 
and  John  were  committed  to  memory,  with  many  of  the 
Epistles,  They  were  employed  also  in  copying  the  Scrip- 
tures. Some  manuscripts  contained  the  whole  Bible,  others 
only  brief  selections,  to  which  some  simple  explanations  of 
the  text  were  added  by  those  who  were  able  to  expound 
the  Scriptures.     Thus  were  brought  forth  the  treasures  of 


THE   WALDENSES  69 

truth  so  long  concealed  by  those  who  sought  to  exalt  them- 
selves above  God. 

By  patient,  untiring  labor,  sometimes  in  the  deep,  dark 
caverns  of  the  earth,  by  the  light  of  torches,  the  sacred 
Scriptures  were  written  out,  verse  by  verse,  chapter  by 
chapter.  Thus  the  work  went  on,  the  revealed  will  of  God 
shining  out  like  pure  gold;  how  much  brighter,  clearer, 
and  more  powerful  because  of  the  trials  undergone  for  its 
sake,  only  those  could  realize  who  were  engaged  in  the  work. 
Angels  from   heaven  surrounded  these   faithful   workers. 

Satan  had  urged  on  the  papal  priests  and  prelates  to 
bury  the  Word  of  truth  beneath  the  rubbish  of  error,  heresy, 
and  superstition;  but  in  a  most  wonderful  manner  it  was 
preserved  uncorrupted  through  all  the  ages  of  darkness. 
It  bore  not  the  stamp  of  man,  but  the  impress  of  God. 
Men  have  been  unwearied  in  their  efforts  to  obscure  the 
plain,  simple  meaning  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to  make  them 
contradict  their  own  testimony;  but  like  the  ark  upon  the 
billowy  deep,  the  word  of  God  outrides  the  storms  that 
threaten  it  with  destruction.  As  the  mine  has  rich  veins 
of  gold  and  silver  hidden  beneath  the  surface,  so  that  all 
must  dig  who  would  discover  its  precious  stores,  so  the  Holy 
Scriptures  have  treasures  of  truth  that  are  revealed  only  to 
the  earnest,  humble,  prayerful  seeker.  God  designed  the 
Bible  to  be  a  lesson-book  to  all  mankind,  in  childhood, 
youth,  and  manhood,  and  to  ])e  studied  through  all  time. 
He  gave  His  word  to  men  as  a  revelation  of  Himself.  Every 
new  truth  discerned  is  a  fresh  disclosure  of  the  character  of 
its  Author.  The  study  of  the  Scriptures  is  the  means 
divinely  ordained  to  bring  men  into  closer  connection  with 
their  Creator,  and  to  give  thom  a  clearer  knowledge  of  His 
will.  It  is  the  medium  of  communication  between  God 
and  man. 

While  the  Waldenses  regarded  the  fear  of  the  Lord  as 
the  beginning  of  wisdom,  they  were  not  blind  to  the  impor- 
tance of  a  contact  with  the  world,  a  knowledge  of  men  and 


70  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  active  life,  in  expanding  the  mind  and  quickening  the  per- 
ceptions. From  their  schools  in  the  mountains  some  of  the 
youth  were  sent  to  institutions  of  learning  in  the  cities  of 
France  or  Italy,  where  was  a  more  extended  field  for  study, 
thought,  and  observation  than  in  their  native  Alps.  The 
youth  thus  sent  forth  were  exposed  to  temptation,  they  wit- 
nessed vice,  they  encountered  Satan's  wily  agents,  who 
urged  upon  them  the  most  subtle  heresies  and  the  most 
dangerous  deceptions.  But  their  education  from  childhood 
had  been  of  a  character  to  prepare  them  for  all  this. 

In  the  schools  whither  they  went,  they  were  not  to  make 
confidants  of  any.  Their  garments  were  so  prepared  as  to 
conceal  their  greatest  treasure, —  the  precious  manuscripts 
of  the  Scriptures.  These,  the  fruit  of  months  and  years  of 
toil,  they  carried  with  them,  and  whenever  they  could  do 
so  without  exciting  suspicion,  they  cautiously  placed  some 
portion  in  the  way  of  those  whose  hearts  seemed  open  to 
receive  the  truth.  From  their  mother's  knee  the  Walden- 
sian  youth  had  been  trained  with  this  purpose  in  view; 
they  understood  their  work,  and  faithfully  performed  it. 
Converts  to  the  true  faith  were  won  in  these  institutions 
of  learning,  and  frequently  its  principles  were  found  to 
be  permeating  the  entire  school ;  yet  the  papal  leaders 
could  not,  by  the  closest  inquiry,  trace  the  so-called  cor- 
rupting heresy  to  its  source. 

The  spirit  of  Christ  is  a  missionary  spirit.  The  very  first 
impulse  of  the  renewed  lieart  is  to  bring  others  also  to  the 
Saviour.  Such  was  the  spirit  of  the  Vaudois  Christians. 
They  felt  that  God  required  more  of  them  than  merely  to 
preserve  the  truth  in  its  purity  in  their  own  churches;  that 
a  solemn  responsibility  rested  upon  them  to  let  their  light 
shine  forth  to  those  who  were  in  darkness;  by  the  mighty 
power  of  God's  word  they  sought  to  break  the  bondage 
which  Rome  had  imposed.  The  Vaudois  ministers  were 
trained  as  missionaries,  every  one  who  expected  to  enter 
the  ministry  being  required  first  to  gain  an  experience  as 


THE    WALDENSES  71 

an  evangelist.  Each  was  to  serve  three  years  in  some  mis- 
sion field  before  taking  charge  of  a  church  at  liome.  This 
service,  requiring  at  the  outset  self-denial  and  sacrifice,  was 
a  fitting  introduction  to  the  pastor's  life  in  those  times  that 
tried  men's  souls.  The  youth  who  received  ordination  to 
the  sacred  office  saw  before  them,  not  the  prospect  of  earthly 
wealth  and  glory,  but  a  life  of  toil  and  danger,  and  possibly 
a  martyr's  fate.  The  missionaries  went  out  two  and  two,  as 
Jesus  sent  forth  His  disciples.  With  each  young  man  was 
usually  associated  a  man  of  age  and  experience,  the  youth 
being  under  the  guidance  of  Ms  companion,  who  was  held 
responsible  for  his  training,  and  whose  instruction  he  was 
required  to  heed.  These  co-laborers  were  not  always  to- 
gether, but  often  met  for  prayer  and  counsel,  thus  strength- 
ening each  other  in  the  faith. 

To  have  made  known  the  object  of  their  mission  would 
have  insured  its  defeat;  therefore  they  carefully  concealed 
their  real  character.  Every  minister  possessed  a  knowledge 
of  some  trade  or  profession,  and  the  missionaries  prosecuted 
their  work  under  cover  of  a  secular  calling.  Usually  they 
chose  that  of  merchant  or  peddler.  "They  carried  silks, 
jewelry,  and  other  articles,  at  that  time  not  easily  pur- 
chasable save  at  distant  marts;  and  they  were  welcomed  as 
merchants  where  they  would  have  been  spurned  as  mis- 
sionaries.'" All  the  while  their  hearts  were  uplifted  to  God 
for  wisdom  to  present  a  treasure  more  precious  than  gold 
or  gems.  They  secretly  carried  about  with  them  copies  of 
the  Bible,  in  whole  or  in  part;  and  whenever  an  oppor- 
tunity was  presented,  they  called  the  attention  of  their  cus- 
tomers to  these  manuscripts.  Often  an  interest  to  read 
God's  word  was  thus  awakened,  and  some  portion  was 
gladly  left  with  those  who  desired  to  receive  it. 

The  work  of  these  missionaries  began  in  the  plains  and 

valleys  at  the  foot  of  their  own  mountains,  but  it  extended 

far  beyond  these  limits.     With  naked  feet  and  in  garments 

coarse  and  travel-stained  as  were  those  of  their  Master,  they 

» Wylie,  b.  1,  ch.  7. 


72  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

passed  through  great  cities,  and  penetrated  to  distant  lands. 
Everywhere  they  scattered  the  precious  seed.  Churches 
sprung  up  in  their  path,  and  the  blood  of  martyrs  wit- 
nessed for  the  truth.  The  day  of  God  will  reveal  a  rich 
harvest  of  souls  garnered  by  the  labors  of  these  faithful 
men.  Veiled  and  silent,  the  word  of  God  was  making  its 
way  through  Christendom,  and  meeting  a  glad  reception 
in  the  homes  and  hearts  of  men. 

To  the  Waldenses  the  Scriptures  were  not  merely  a  rec- 
ord of  God's  dealings  with  men  in  the  past,  and  a  revelation 
of  the  responsibilities  and  duties  of  the  present,  but  an  un- 
folding of  the  perils  and  glories  of  the  future.  They  believed 
that  the  end  of  all  things  was  not  far  distant ;  and  as  they 
studied  the  Bible  with  prayer  and  tears,  they  were  the  more 
deeply  impressed  with  its  precious  utterances,  and  with  their 
duty  to  make  known  to  others  its  saving  truths.  They  saw 
the  plan  of  salvation  clearly  revealed  in  the  sacred  pages, 
and  they  found  comfort,  hope,  and  peace  in  believing  in 
Jesus,  As  the  light  illuminated  their  understanding  and 
made  glad  their  hearts,  they  longed  to  shed  its  beams  upon 
those  who  were  in  the  darkness  of  papal  error. 

They  saw  that  under  the  guidance  of  pope  and  priests, 
multitudes  were  vainly  endeavoring  to  obtain  pardon  by 
afflicting  their  bodies  for  the  sin  of  their  souls.  Taught  to 
trust  to  their  good  works  to  save  them,  they  were  ever  look- 
ing to  themselves,  their  minds  dwelling  upon  their  sinful 
condition,  seeing  themselves  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God, 
afflicting  soul  and  body,  yet  finding  no  relief.  Thus  con- 
scientious souls  were  bound  by  the  doctrines  of  Rome. 
Thousands  abandoned  friends  and  kindred,  and  spent  their 
lives  in  convent  cells.  By  oft-repeated  fasts  and  cruel 
scourgings,  by  midnight  vigils,  by  prostration  for  weary 
hours  upon  the  cold,  damp  stones  of  their  dreary  abode, 
by  long  pilgrimages,  by  humiliating  penance  and  fearful 
torture,  thousands  vainly  sought  to  obtain  peace  of  con 
science.     Oppressed  with  a  sense  of  sin,  and  haunted  witl/ 


THE   WALDENSES  73 

the  fear  of  God's  avenging  wrath,  many  suffered  on,  until  ex- 
hausted nature  gave  way,  and  without  one  ray  of  light  or 
hope,  they  sank  into  the  tomb. 

The  Waldenses  longed  to  break  to  these  starving  souls 
the  bread  of  life,  to  open  to  them  the  messages  of  peace 
in  the  promises  of  God,  and  to  point  them  to  Christ  as  their 
only  hope  of  salvation.  The  doctrine  that  good  works  can 
atone  for  the  transgression  of  God's  law,  they  held  to  be 
based  upon  falsehood.  Reliance  upon  human  merit  inter- 
cepts the  view  of  Christ's  infinite  love.  Jesus  died  as  a  sac- 
rifice for  man  because  the  fallen  race  can  do  nothing  to 
recommend  themselves  to  God.  The  merits  of  a  crucified 
and  risen  Saviour  are  the  foundation  of  the  Christian's 
faith.  The  dependence  of  the  soul  upon  Christ  is  as  real, 
and  its  connection  wdth  Him  must  be  as  close,  as  that  of 
a  limb  to  the  body,  or  of  a  branch  to  the  vine. 

The  teachings  of  propes  and  priests  had  led  men  to  looli 
upon  the  character  of  God,  and  even  of  Christ,  as  stern, 
gloomy,  and  forbidding.  The  Saviour  was  represented  as 
so  far  devoid  of  sympathy  with  man  in  his  fallen  state 
that  the  mediation  of  priests  and  saints  must  be  invoked. 
Those  whose  minds  had  been  enlightened  by  the  word  of 
God  longed  to  point  these  souls  to  Jesus  as  their  compas- 
sionate, loving  Saviour,  standing  with  outstretched  arms, 
inviting  all  to  come  to  Him  with  their  l)urden  of  sin,  their 
care  and  weariness.  They  longed  to  clear  away  the  ob- 
structions which  Satan  had  piled  up  that  men  might  not 
see  the  promises,  and  come  directly  to  God,  confessing  their 
sins,  and  obtaining  pardon  and  peace. 

Eagerly  did  the  Vaudois  missionary  unfold  to  the  in- 
quiring mind  the  precious  truths  of  the  gospel.  Cautiously 
he  produced  the  carefully  written  portions  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  It  was  his  greatest  joy  to  give  hope  to  the 
conscientious,  sin-stricken  soul,  who  could  see  only  a  God 
of  vengeance,  waiting  to  execute  justice.  With  quivering 
lip  and  tearful   eye   did   he,   often  on   bended  knees,   open 


74  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  his  brethren  the  precious  promises  that  reveal  the  sin- 
ner's only  hope.  Thus  the  light  of  truth  penetrated  many 
a  darkened  mind,  rolling  back  the  cloud  of  gloom,  until  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  shone  into  the  heart  with  healing  in 
His  beams.  It  was  often  the  case  that  some  portion  of 
Scripture  was  read  again  and  again,  the  hearer  desiring  it 
to  be  repeated,  as  if  he  would  assure  himself  that  he  had 
heard  aright.  Especially  was  the  repetition  of  these  words 
eagerly  desired:  "The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son  cleans- 
eth  us  from  all  sin."*  "As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up : 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life. ' ' ' 

Many  were  undeceived  in  regard  to  the  claims  of  Rome. 
They  saw  how  vain  is  the  mediation  of  men  or  angels  in 
behalf  of  the  sinner.  As  the  true  light  dawned  upon  their 
minds,  they  exclaimed  with  rejoicing,  "Christ  is  my  priest; 
His  blood  is  my  sacrifice;  His  altar  is  my  confessional." 
They  cast  themselves  wholly  upon  the  merits  of  Jesus,  re- 
peating the  words,  "Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
Him."*  "There  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men,   whereby  we  must  be  saved."* 

The  assurance  of  a  Saviour's  love  seemed  too  much  for 
some  of  these  poor  tempest-tossed  souls  to  realize.  So  great 
was  tlie  relief  which  it  brought,  such  a  flood  of  light  was 
shed  upon  them,  that  they  seemed  transported  to  heaven. 
Their  hands  were  laid  confidingly  in  the  hand  of  Christ; 
their  feet  were  planted  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages.  All  fear  of 
death  was  banished.  They  could  now  covet  the  prison  and 
the  fagot  if  they  might  thereby  honor  the  name  of  their 
Redeemer. 

In  secret  places  the  word  of  God  was  thus  brought  forth 
and  read,  sometimes  to  a  single  soul,  sometimes  to  a  little 
company  who  were  longing  for  light  and  truth.  Often  the 
entire  night  was  spent  in  this  manner.  So  great  would  be 
the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  listeners  that  the  mes- 
»1  John  1:7.  =  John  3:14,  15.  « Heb.  11:6.  'Acts  4:12. 


THE   WALDENSES  75 

senger  of  mercy  was  not  infrequently  compelled  to  cease  his 
reading  until  the  understanding  could  grasp  tlie  tidings  of 
salvation.  Often  would  words  like  these  be  uttered:  "Will 
God  indeed  accept  my  offering?  Will  He  smile  upon  me? 
Will  He  pardon  mef"  The  answer  was  read,  "Come  unto 
Me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest. ' ' ' 

Faith  grasped  the  promise,  and  the  glad  response  was 
heard:  "No  more  long  pilgrimages  to  make;  no  more  pain- 
ful journeys  to  holy  shrines.  I  may  come  to  Jesus  just  as 
I  am,  sinful  and  unholy,  and  He  will  not  spurn  the  peni- 
tential prayer.  'Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee.'  Mine,  even 
mine,   may  be  forgiven!" 

A  tide  of  sacred  joy  would  fill  the  heart,  and  the  name 
of  Jesus  would  be  magnified  by  praise  and  thanksgiving. 
Those  happy  souls  returned  to  their  homes  to  diffuse  light, 
to  repeat  to  others,  as  well  as  they  could,  their  new  experi- 
ence; that  they  had  found  the  true  and  living  Way.  There 
was  a  strange  and  solemn  power  in  the  words  of  Scripture 
that  spoke  directly  to  the  hearts  of  those  who  were  longing 
for  the  truth.  It  was  the  voice  of  God,  and  it  carried  con- 
viction to  those  who  heard. 

The  messenger  of  truth  went  on  his  way;  but  his  appear- 
ance of  humility,  his  sincerity,  his  earnestness  and  deep 
fervor,  were  subjects  of  frequent  remark.  In  many  in- 
stances his  hearers  had  not  asked  him  whence  he  came  or 
whither  he  went.  They  had  been  so  overwhelmed,  at  first 
wath  surprise,  and  afterward  with  gratitude  and  joy,  that 
they  had  not  thought  to  question  him.  When  they  had 
urged  him  to  accompany  them  to  their  homes,  he  had  re- 
plied that  he  must  visit  the  lost  sheep  of  the  fiock.  Could 
he  have  been  an  angel  from  heaven?  they  queried. 

In  many  cases  the  messenger  of  truth  was  seen  no  more. 
He  had  made  his  Avay  to  other  lands,  or  he  Avas  wearing  out 
his  life  in  some  unknown  dungeon,  or  perhaps  his  bones 
were  whitening  on  the  spot  where  he  had  witnessed  for  the 

»Matt.  11:28. 


76  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

truth.  But  the  words  he  had  left  behind  could  not  be  de- 
stroyed. They  were  doing  their  work  in  the  hearts  of  men ; 
the  blessed  results  will  be  fully  known  only  in  the  judgment. 

The  Waldensian  missionaries  were  invading  the  kingdom 
of  fSatan,  and  the  powers  of  darkness  aroused  to  greater 
vigilance.  Every  effort  to  advance  the  truth  was  watched 
by  the  prince  of  evil,  and  he  excited  the  fears  of  his  agents. 
The  papal  leaders  saw  a  portent  of  danger  to  their  cause 
from  the  labors  of  these  humble  itinerants.  If  the  light  of 
truth  were  allowed  to  shine  unobstructed,  it  would  sweep 
away  the  lieavy  clouds  of  error  that  enveloped  the  people; 
it  would  direct  the  minds  of  men  to  God  alone,  and  would 
eventually   destroy   the   supremacy   of   Rome. 

The  very  existence  of  this  people,  holding  the  faith  of 
the  ancient  church,  was  a  constant  testimony  to  Home's  apos- 
tasy, and  therefore  excited  the  most  bitter  hatred  and  perse- 
cution. Their  refusal  to  surrender  the  Scriptures  was  also 
an  offense  that  Rome  could  not  tolerate.  She  determined  to 
blot  them  from  the  earth.  Now  began  the  most  terrible  cru- 
sades against  God's  people  in  their  mountain  homes.  In- 
quisitors were  put  upon  their  track,  and  the  scene  of  innocent 
Abel  falling  before  the  murderous  Cain  was  often  repeated. 

Again  and  again  were  their  fertile  lands  laid  waste,  their 
dwellings  and  chapels  swept  away,  so  that  where  once  were 
flourishing  fields  and  the  homes  of  an  innocent,  industrious 
people,  there  remained  only  a  desert.  As  the  ravenous  beast 
is  rendered  more  furious  by  the  taste  of  blood,  so  the  rage 
of  the  papists  was  kindled  to  greater  intensity  by  the  suf- 
ferings of  their  victims.  Many  of  these  witnesses  for  a 
pure  faith  were  pursued  across  the  mountains,  and  hunted 
down  in  the  valleys  where  they  were  hidden,  shut  in  by 
mighty  forests  and  pinnacles  of  rock. 

No  charge  could  be  brought  against  the  moral  character 
of  this  proscribed  class.  Even  their  enemies  declared  them 
to  be  a  peaceable,  quiet,  pious  people.  Their  grand  offense 
was  that  they  would  not  worship  God  according  to  the  will 


THE   WALDENSES  77 

of  the  pope.  For  tl\is  crime,  every  humiliation,  insult,  and 
torture  that  men  or  devils  could  invent  was  heaped  upon 
them. 

When  Rome  at  one  time  determined  to  exterminate  the 
hated  sect,  a  bull  was  issued  by  the  pope,  condemning  them 
as  heretics,  and  delivering  them  to  slaughter.'  They  were 
not  accused  as  idlers,  or  dishonest,  or  disorderly;  but  it  was 
declared  that  they  had  an  appearance  of  piety  and  sanctity 
that  seduced  "the  sheep  of  the  true  fold."  Therefore  the 
pope  ordered  "that  malicious  and  abominable  sect  of  malig- 
nants, "  if  they  "refuse  to  abjure,  to  be  crushed  like  ven- 
omous snakes.""  Did  this  haughty  potentate  expect  to  meet 
those  words  again?  Did  he  know  that  they  were  registered 
in  the  books  of  heaven,  to'  confront  him  at  the  judgment? 
' '  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
My  brethren,"  said  Jesus,  "ye  have  done  it  unto  Me."' 

This  bull  called  upon  all  members  of  the  church  to  join 
the  crusade  against  the  heretics.  As  an  incentive  to  engage 
in  this  cruel  work,  it  "absolved  from  all  ecclesiastical  pains 
and  penalties,  general  and  particular;  it  released  all  who 
joined  the  crusade  from  any  oaths  they  might  have  taken; 
it  legitimatized  their  title  to  any  property  they  might  have 
illegally  acquired;  and  promised  remission  of  all  their  sins 
to  such  as  should  kill  any  heretic.  It  annulled  all  con- 
tracts made  in  favor  of  Vaudois,  ordered  their  domestics 
to  abandon  them,  forbade  all  persons  to  give  them  any  aid 
whatever,  and  empowered  all  persons  to  take  possession  of 
their  property. "''  This  document  clearly  reveals  the  master- 
spirit behind  the  scenes.  It  is  the  roar  of  the  dragon,  and 
not  the  voice  of  Christ,  that  is  heard  therein. 

The  papal  leaders  would  not  conform  their  characters  to 
the  great  standard  of  God's  law,  but  erected  a  standard 
to  suit  themselves,  and  determined  to  compel  all  to  conform 
to  this  because  Rome  willed  it.  The  most  horrible  tragedies 
were  enacted.  Corrupt  and  blasphemous  priests  and  popes 
were  doing  the  work  which  Satan  appointed  them.  ]\Iercy 
*See  Appendix.         'Wylie,  b.  16,  cb.  1.         "Matt.  25:40. 


78 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


had  no  place  in  their  natures.  The  same  spirit  that  crucified 
Christ  and  slew  the  apostles,  the  same  that  moved  the  blood- 
thirsty Nero  against  the  faithful  in  his  day,  was  at  work 
to  rid  the  earth  of  those  who  were  beloved  of  God. 

The  persecutions  visited  for  many  centuries  upon  this 
God-fearing  people  were  endured  by  them  with  a  patience 
and  constancy  that  honored  their  Redeemer.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  crusades  against  them,  and  the  inhuman  butchery 
to  which  they  were  subjected,  they  continued  to  send  out 
their  missionaries  to  scatter  the  precious  truth.  They  were 
hunted  to  the  death;  yet  their  blood  watered  the  seed  sown, 
and  it  failed  not  of  yielding  fruit.  Thus  the  Waldenses 
witnessed  for  God,  centuries  before  the  birth  of  Luther. 
Scattered  over  many  lands,  they  planted  the  seeds  of  the 
Keformation  that  began  in  the  time  of  Wyeliffe,  grew  broad 
and  deep  in  the  days  of  Luther,  and  is  to  be  carried  forward 
to  the  close  of  time  by  those  who  also  are  willing  to  suffer 
all  things  for  "the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ. ' ' ' 

'Rev.  1:9. 


dOHN   WYGLIFFE-  5 

Before  the  Reformation,  there  were  at  times  but  very 
few  copies  of  the  Bible  in  existence;  but  God  had  not  suf- 
fered His  word  to  be  wholly  destroyed.  Its  truths  were  not 
to  be  forever  hidden.  He  could  as  easily  unchain  the  words 
of  life  as  He  could  open  prison  doors  and  unbolt  iron  gates 
to  set  His  servants  free.  In  the  different  countries  of  Eu- 
rope men  were  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  search  for 
the  truth  as  for  hid  treasures.  Providentially  guided  to  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  they  studied  the  sacred  pages  with  intense 
interest.  They  were  willing  to  accept  the  light,  at  any  cost 
to  themselves.  Though  they  did  not  see  all  things  clearly, 
they  were  enabled  to  perceive  many  long-buried  truths.  As 
Heaven-sent  messengers  they  went  forth,  rending  asunder 
the  chains  of  error  and  superstition,  and  calling  upon  those 
who  liad  been  so  long  enslaved,  to  arise  and  assert  their 
liberty. 

Except  among  the  Waldenses,  the  word  of  God  liad  for 
ages  been  locked  up  in  languages  known  only  to  the  learned ; 
but  the  time  had  come  for  the  Scriptures  to  be  translated, 
and  given  to  the  people  of  different  lands  in  their  native 
tongue.  The  world  had  passed  its  midnight.  The  hours 
of  darkness  were  wearing  away,  and  in  many  lands  ap- 
peared tokens  of  the  coming  dawn. 

(79) 


80  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  the  fourteenth  century  arose  in  England  the  '^'morn- 
ing star  of  the  Kef ormation. "  John  Wycliffe  was  the  herald 
of  reform,  not  for  England  alone,  but  for  all  Christendom. 
The  great  protest  against  Rome  which  it  was  permitted  him 
to  utter,  was  never  to  be  silenced.  That  protest  opened  the 
struggle  which  was  to  result  in  the  emancipation  of  individ- 
uals, of  churches,  and  of  nations. 

"Wycliffe  received  a  liberal  education,  and  Avith  him  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  was  the  beginning  of  wisdom.  He  was 
noted  at  college  for  his  fervent  piety  as  well  as  for  his 
remarkable  talents  and  sound  scholarship.  In  his  thirst 
for  knowledge  he  sought  to  become  acquainted  with  every 
branch  of  learning.  He  was  educated  in  the  scholastic 
philosophy,  in  the  canons  of  the  church,  and  in  the  civil 
law,  especially  that  of  his  own  country.  In  his  after-labors 
the  value  of  this  early  training  was  apparent.  A  thorough 
acquaintance  with  the  speculative  philosophy  of  his  time 
enabled  him  to  expose  its  errors;  and  by  his  study  of  na- 
tional and  ecclesiastical  law  he  was  prepared  to  engage  in 
the  great  struggle  for  ciAal  and  religious  liberty.  While 
he  could  wield  the  weapons  drawn  from  the  word  of  God, 
he  had  acquired  the  intellectual  discipline  of  the  schools, 
and  he  understood  the  tactics  of  the  schoolmen.  The  power 
of  his  genius  and  the  extent  and  thoroughness  of  his  knowl- 
edge commanded  the  respect  of  both  friends  and  foes.  His 
adherents  saw  with  satisfaction  that  their  champion  stood 
foremost  among  the  leading  minds  of  the  nation;  and  his 
enemies  were  prevented  from  casting  contempt  upon  the 
cause  of  reform  by  exposing  the  ignorance  or  weakness  of 
its  supporter. 

While  Wycliffe  was  still  at  college,  he  entered  upon  the 
study  of  the  Scriptures.  In  those  early  times,  when  the 
Bible  existed  only  in  the  ancient  languages,  scholars  were 
enabled  to  find  their  way  to  the  fountain  of  truth,  which  was 
closed  to  the  uneducated  classes.  Thus  already  the  way  had 
been  prepared  for  Wycliffe 's  future  work  as  a  Reformer. 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE  81 

Men  of  learning  had  studied  the  word  of  God,  and  had 
found  the  great  truth  of  His  free  grace  there  revealed.  In 
their  teachings  they  had  spread  a  knowledge  of  this  truth, 
and  had  led  others  to  turn  to  the  Living  Oracles. 

When  Wycliffe's  attention  was  directed  to  the  Scriptures, 
he  entered  upon  their  investigation  with  the  same  thor- 
oughness which  had  enabled  him  to  master  the  learning  of 
the  schools.  Heretofore  he  had  felt  a  great  want,  which 
neither  his  scholastic  studies  nor  the  teaching  of  the  church 
could  satisfy.  In  the  word  of  God  he  found  that  which  he 
had  before  sought  in  vain.  Here  he  saw  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation revealed,  and  Christ  set  forth  as  the  only  advocate 
for  man.  He  gave  himself  to  the  service  of  Christ,  and 
determined  to  proclaim  the  truths  he  had  discovered. 

Like  after-reformers,  Wycliffe  did  not,  at  the  opening 
of  his  work,  foresee  whither  it  would  lead  him.  He  did  not 
set  himself  deliberately  in  opposition  to  Rome.  But  devo- 
tion to  truth  could  not  but  bring  him  in  conflict  with  false- 
hood. The  more  clearly  he  discerned  the  errors  of  the 
papacy,  the  more  earnestly  he  presented  the  teaching  of 
the  Bible.  He  saw  that  Rome  had  forsaken  the  w^ord  of 
God  for  human  tradition ;  he  fearlessly  accused  the  priest- 
hood of  having  banished  the  Scriptures,  and  demanded  that 
the  Bible  be  restored  to  the  people,  and  that  its  authority  be 
again  established  in  the  church.  He  was  an  able  and  ear- 
nest teacher,  and  an  eloquent  preacher,  and  his  daily  life 
was  a  demonstration  of  the  trutlis  he  preached.  His  knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures,  the  force  of  his  reasoning,  the  purity 
of  his  life,  and  his  unbending  courage  and  integrity,  won 
for  him  general  esteem  and  confidence.  IMany  of  the  people 
had  become  dissatisfied  with  their  former  faith,  as  they 
saw  the  iniquity  that  prevailed  in  the  Roman  Church,  and 
they  hailed  with  unconcealed  joy  the  truths  brought  to  view 
by  Wyelilfe;  but  the  papal  leaders  were  filled  with  rage 
when  they  perceived  that  this  Reformer  was  gaining  an 
influence  greater  than  their  own. 


82  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Wycliffe  was  a  keen  detector  of  error,  and  he  struck  fear- 
lessly against  many  of  the  abuses  sanctioned  by  the  author- 
ity of  Rome.  While  acting  as  chaplain  for  the  king,  he  took 
a  bold  stand  against  the  payment  of  tribute  claimed  by  the 
pope  from  the  English  monarch,  and  showed  that  the  papal 
assumption  of  authority  over  secular  rulers  was  contrary  to 
both  reason  and  revelation.  The  demands  of  the  pope  had 
excited  great  indignation,  and  Wycliffe 's  teachings  exerted 
an  influence  upon  the  leading  minds  of  the  nation.  The 
king  and  the  nobles  united  in  denying  the  pontiff's  claim  to 
temporal  authority,  and  in  refusing  the  payment  of  the 
tribute.  Thus  an  effectual  blow  was  struck  against  the 
papal  supremacy  in  England. 

Another  evil  against  which  the  Reformer  waged  long  and 
resolute  battle,  was  the  institution  of  the  orders  of  mendicant 
friars.  These  friars  swarmed  in  England,  casting  a  blight 
upon  the  greatness  and  prosperity  of  tlie  nation.  Industry, 
education,  morals,  all  felt  the  withering  influence.  The 
monks'  life  of  idleness  and  beggary  was  not  only  a  heavy 
drain  upon  the  resources  of  the  people,  but  it  brought  useful 
labor  into  contempt.  The  youth  were  demoralized  and  cor- 
rupted. By  the  influence  of  the  friars  many  were  induced 
to  enter  a  cloister  and  devote  themselves  to  a  monastic  life, 
and  this  not  only  without  the  consent  of  their  parents,  but 
even  without  their  knowledge,  and  contrary  to  their  com- 
mands. One  of  the  early  Fathers  of  the  Roman  Church, 
urging  the  claims  of  monasticism  above  the  obligations  of 
filial  love  and  duty,  had  declared:  ''Though  thy  father 
should  lie  before  thy  door,  weeping  and  lamenting,  and  thy 
mother  should  show  the  body  that  bore  thee  and  the  breasts 
that  nursed  thee,  see  that  thou  trample  them  under  foot, 
and  go  onward  straightway  to  Christ."  By  this  "mon- 
strous inhumanity,"  as  Luther  afterward  styled  it,  ''savor- 
ing more  of  the  wolf  andHhe  tyrant  than  of  the  Christian 
and  the  man,"  were  the  hearts  of  children  steeled  against 
their  parents.*  Thus  did  the  papal  leaders,  like  the  Pharisees 
'Sears,  Barnas,  "Life  of  Luther,"  pp.  70,  69. 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE  83 

of  old,  make  the  commandinent  of  God  of  none  effect  by 
their  tradition.  Thus  homes  were  made  desolate,  and  parents 
were  deprived  of  the  society  of  their  sons  and  daughters. 

Even  the  students  in  the  universities  were  deceived  by 
the  false  representations  of  the  monks,  and  induced  to  join 
their  orders.  Many  afterward  repented  this  step,  seeing  that 
they  had  blighted  their  own  lives,  and  had  brought  sorrow 
upon  their  parents;  but  once  fast  in  the  snare,  it  was  impos- 
sible for  them  to  obtain  their  freedom.  Many  parents,  fear- 
ing the  influence  of  the  monks,  refused  to  send  their  sons  to 
the  universities.  There  was  a  marked  falling  off  in  the 
number  of  students  in  attendance  at  the  great  centers  of 
learning.     The  schools  languished,  and  ignorance  prevailed. 

The  pope  had  bestowed  on  these  monks  the  power  to  hear 
confessions  and  to  grant  pardon.  This  became  a  source  of 
great  evil.  Bent  on  enhancing  their  gains,  the  friars  were 
so  ready  to  grant  absolution  that  criminals  of  all  descriptions 
resorted  to  them,  and  as  a  result,  the  worst  vices  rapidly 
increased.  The  sick  and  the  poor  were  left  to  suffer,  while 
the  gifts  that  should  have  relieved  their  wants  went  to  the 
monks,  who  with  threats  demanded  the  alms  of  the  people, 
denouncing  the  impiety  of  those  who  should  withhold  gifts 
from  their  orders.  Notwithstanding  their  profession  of  pov- 
erty, the  wealth  of  the  friars  was  constantly  increasing,  and 
their  magnificent  edifices  and  luxurious  tables  made  more 
apparent  the  growing  poverty  of  the  nation.  And  while 
spending  their  time  in  luxury  and  pleasure,  they  sent  out  in 
their  stead  ignorant  men,  who  could  only  recount  marvelous 
tales,  legends,  and  jests  to  amuse  the  people,  and  make  them 
still  more  completely  the  dupes  of  the  monks.  Yet  the 
friars  continued  to  maintain  their  hold  on  the  superstitious 
multitudes,  and  led  them  to  believe  that  all  religious  duty 
was  comprised  in  acknowledging  the  supremacy  of  the  pope, 
adoring  the  saints,  and  making  gifts  to  the  monks,  and 
that  this  was  sufficient  to  secure  them  a  place  in  heaven. 


84  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Men  of  learning  and  piety  had  labored  in  vain  to  bring 
about  a  reform  in  these  monastic  orders;  but  Wyelitfe,  with 
clearer  insight,  struck  at  the  root  of  the  evil,  declaring 
that  the  system  itself  was  false,  and  that  it  should  be  abol- 
ished. Discussion  and  inquiry  were  awakening.  As  the 
monks  traversed  the  country,  vending  the  pope's  pardons, 
many  were  led  to  doubt  the  possibility  of  purchasing  for- 
giveness with  money,  and  they  questioned  whether  they 
should  not  seek  pardon  from  God  rather  than  from  the  pon- 
tiff of  Rome.'  Not  a  few  were  alarmed  at  the  rapacity  of  the 
friars,  whose  greed  seemed  never  to  be  satisfied.  "The  monks 
and  priests  of  Rome,"  said  they,  "are  eating  us  away  like  a 
cancer.  God  must  deliver  us,  or  the  people  will  perish."/' 
To  cover  their  avarice,  these  begging  monks  claimed  that 
.they  were  follo\\dng  the  Saviour's  example,  declaring  that 
Jesus  and  His  disciples  had  been  supported  by  the  charities 
of  the  people.  This  claim  resulted  in  injury  to  their  cause, 
for  it  led  many  to  the  Bible  to  learn  the  truth  for  them- 
selves,—  a  result  which  of  all  others  was  least  desired  by 
Rome.  The  minds  of  men  were  directed  to  the  Source  of 
truth,  which  it  was  her  object  to  conceal. 

Wycliffe  began  to  write  and  publish  tracts  against  the 
friars,  not,  however,  seeking  so  much  to  enter  into  dispute 
with  them  as  to  call  the  minds  of  the  people  to  the  teachings 
of  the  Bible  and  its  Autlior.  He  declared  that  the  power 
of  pardon  or  of  excommunication  is  possessed  by  the  pope  in 
no  greater  degree  than  by  common  priests,  and  that  no  man 
can  be  truly  excommunicated  unless  he  has  first  brought 
upon  himself  the  condemnation  of  God.  In  no  more  effec- 
tual way  could  he  have  undertaken  the  overthrow  of  that 
mammoth  fabric  of  spiritual  and  temporal  dominion  which 
the  pope  had  erected,  and  in  Avhich  the  souls  and  bodies 
of  millions  were  held  captive. 

Again  "Wycliffe  was  called  to  defend  the  rights  of  the 

English    cro^^^l    against    the    encroachments    of    Rome;    and 

being  appointed  a  royal  ambassador,  he  spent  two  years  in 

the  Netherlands,  in  conference  with  the  commissioners  of  the 

*3ee  Appendix.  ^D'Aubigne,  b.  17,  ch.  7. 


JOHN   WYCLIFFE  86 

pope.  Here  he  was  brought  into  communication  with  eccle- 
siastics from  France,  Italy,  and  Spain,  and  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  look  behind  the  scenes,  and  gain  a  knowledge  of 
many  tilings  which  would  have  remained  hidden  from  him 
in  England.  He  learned  much  that  was  to  give  point  to 
his  after-labors.  In  these  representatives  from  the  papal 
court  he  read  the  true  character  and  aims  of  the  hierarchy. 
He  returned  to  England  to  repeat  his  former  teachings  more 
openly  and  with  greater  zeal,  declaring  that  covetousness, 
pride,  and  deception  were  the  gods  of  Rome. 

In  one  of  his  tracts  he  said,  speaking  of  the  pope  and 
his  collectors:  "They  draw  out  of  our  land  poor  men's  live- 
lihood, and  many  thousand  marks,  by  the  year,  of  the  king's 
money,  for  sacraments  and  spiritual  things,  that  is  cursed 
heresy  of  simony,  and  maketh  all  Christendom  assent  and 
maintain  this  heresy.  And  certes  though  our  realm  had  a 
huge  hill  of  gold,  and  never  other  man  took  thereof  but 
only  this  proud  worldly  priest's  collector,  by  process  of 
time  this  hill  must  be  spended;  for  he  taketh  ever  money 
out  of  our  land,  and  sendeth  naught  again  but  God's  curse 
for  his  simony. ' ' ' 

Soon  after  his  return  to  England,  Wycliffe  received  from 
the  king  the  appointment  to  the  rectory  of  Lutterworth. 
This  was  an  assurance  that  the  monarch  at  least  had  not 
been  displeased  by  his  plain  speaking.  Wycliffe 's  influence 
was  felt  in  shaping  the  action  of  the  court,  as  well  as  in 
moulding  the  belief  of  the  nation. 

The  papal  thunders  were  soon  hurled  against  him.  Three 
bulls  were  dispatched  to  England, —  to  the  university,  to  the 
king,  and  to  the  prelates, —  all  commanding  immediate  and 
decisive  measures  to  silence  the  teacher  of  heresy.''  Before 
the  arrival  of  the  bulls,  however,  the  bishops,  in  their  zeal, 
had  suminoned  Wycliffe  before  them  for  trial.  But  two  of 
the  most  powerful  princes  in  the  kingdom  accompanied 
him  to  the  tribunal ;  and  the  people,  surroiuiding  the  build- 

' Lewis,  Eev.  .John,  "History  of  the  Life  and  Sufferings  of  .T.  Wiclif, " 
p.  37   (ed.  1820).  =  See   Appendix. 

Neander,  "History  of  the  Christian  Religion  and  Church," 
period  6,  sec.  2,  part  1,  par.  8. 


86  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ing  and  rushing  in,  so  intimidated  the  judges  that  the  pro- 
ceedings were  for  the  time  suspended,  and  he  was  allowed 
to  go  his  way  in  peace.  A  little  later,  Edward  III.,  whom 
in  his  old  age  the  prelates  were  seeking  to  influence  against 
the  Reformer,  died,  and  Wycliffe's  former  protector  became 
regent  of  the  kingdom. 

But  the  arrival  of  the  papal  bulls  laid  upon  all  England 
a  peremptory  command  for  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  of 
the  heretic.  These  measures  pointed  directly  to  the  stake. 
It  appeared  certain  that  Wycliffe  must  soon  fall  a  prey  to 
the  vengeance  of  Rome.  But  He  who  declared  to  one  of 
old,  "Fear  not:  I  am  thy  shield,"*  again  stretched  out 
His  hand  to  protect  His  servant.  Death  came,  not  to  the 
Reformer,  but  to  the  pontiff  who  had  decreed  his  destruc- 
tion. Gregory  XI.  died,  and  the  ecclesiastics  who  had  as- 
sembled for  Wycliffe's  trial,  dispersed. 

God's  providence  still  further  overruled  events  to  give 
opportunity  for  the  growth  of  the  Reformation.  The  death 
of  Gregory  was  followed  by  the  election  of  two  rival  popes. 
Two  conflicting  powers,  each  professedly  infallible,  now 
claimed  obedience.*  Each  called  upon  the  faithful  to  assist 
him  in  making  war  upon  the  other,  enforcing  his  demands 
by  terrible  anathemas  against  his  adversaries,  and  promises 
of  rewards  in  heaven  to  his  supporters.  This  occurrence 
greatly  weakened  the  power  of  the  papacy.  The  rival 
factions  had  all  they  could  do  to  attack  each  other,  and 
Wycliffe  for  a  time  had  rest.  Anathemas  and  recrimina- 
tions were  flying  from  pope  to  pope,  and  torrents  of  blood 
were  poured  out  to  support  their  conflicting  claims.  Crimes 
and  scandals  flooded  the  church.  Meanwhile  the  Reformer, 
in  the  quiet  retirement  of  his  parish  of  Lutterworth,  was 
laboring  diligently  to  point  men  from  the  contending  popes 
to  Jesus,   the   Prince   of  Peace. 

The  schism,  with  all  the  strife  and  corruption  which  it 

caused,  prepared  the  way  for  the  Reformation,  by  enabling 

the  people  to  see  what  the  papacy  really  was.     In  a  tract 

[which  he  published,  "On  the  Schism  of  the  Popes,"  Wyc- 

*Geii.  15:1.  'See  Appendix. 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE  8? 

liffe  called  upon  the  people  to  consider  whether  these  two 
priests  were  not  speaking  the  truth  in  condemning  each 
other  as  the  antichrist.  "God,"  said  he,  "would  no  longer 
suffer  the  fiend  to  reign  in  only  one  such  priest,  but  .  .  . 
made  division  among  two,  so  that  men,  in  Christ's  name, 
may  the  more  easily  overcome  them  both. ' ' ' 

Wycliffe,  like  his  Master,  preached  the  gospel  to  the 
poor.  Not  content  with  spreading  the  light  in  their  hum- 
ble homes  in  his  own  parish  of  Lutterworth,  he  determined 
that  it  should  be  carried  to  every  part  of  England.  To 
accomplish  this  he  organized  a  body  of  preachers,  simple, 
devout  men,  who  loved  the  truth  and  desired  nothing  so 
much  as  to  extend  it.  These  men  went  everywhere,  teach- 
ing in  the  market-places,  in  the  streets  of  the  great  cities, 
and  in  the  country  lanes.  They  sought  out  the  aged,  the 
sick,  and  the  poor,  and  opened  to  them  the  glad  tidings 
of  the  grace  of  God. 

As  a  professor  of  theology  at  Oxford,  Wycliffe  preached 
the  word  of  God  in  the  halls  of  the  university.  So  faith- 
fully did  he  present  the  truth  to  the  students  under  his 
instruction,  that  he  received  the  title  of  "The  Gospel  Doc- 
tor." But  the  greatest  work  of  his  life  was  to  be  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  into  the  English  language.  In  a 
work,  "On  the  Truth  and  Meaning  of  Scripture,"  he  ex- 
pressed his  intention  to  translate  the  Bible,  so  that  every 
man  in  England  might  read,  in  the  language  in  which  he 
was  born,   the   wonderful  works  of  God. 

But  suddenly  his  labors  were  stopped.  Though  not  yet 
sixty  years  of  age,  unceasing  toil,  study,  and  the  assaults  of 
his  enemies,  had  told  upon  his  strength,  and  made  him  pre- 
maturely old.  He  was  attacked  by  a  dangerous  illness.  The 
tidings  brought  great  joy  to  the  friars.  Now  they  thought 
he  would  bitterly  repent  the  evil  he  had  done  the  church, 
and  they  hurried  to  his  chamber  to  listen  to  his  confession. 
Representatives  from  the  four  religious  orders,  with  four 
civil  officers,  gathered  about  the  supposed  dying  man.    "You 

*Vaughau,  B.,  "Life  and  Opinions  of  John  de  Wyclifife," 
Vol.  II,  p.  6  (ed.  1831). 


88  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

have  death  on  your  lips,"  they  said;  "be  touched  by  your 
faults,  and  retract  in  our  presence  all  that  you  have  said 
to  our  injury."  The  Reformer  listened  in  silence;  then 
he  bade  his  attendant  raise  him  in  his  bed,  and  gazing 
steadily  upon  them  as  they  stood  waiting  for  his  recanta- 
tion, he  said,  in  the  firm,  strong  voice  which  had  so  often 
caused  them  to  tremble,  "I  shall  not  die,  but  live,  and 
again  declare  the  evil  deeds  of  the  friars."*  Astonished  and 
abashed,  the  monks  hurried  from  the  room. 

Wycliffe's  words  were  fulfilled.  lie  lived  to  place  in  the 
hands  of  his  countrymen  the  most  powerful  of  all  weapons 
against  Rome, —  to  give  tliem  the  Bible,  the  Heaven-appointed 
agent  to  liberate,  enlighten,  and  evangelize  the  people.  There 
were  many  and  great  obstacles  to  surmount  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  this  work.  "Wycliffe  was  weighed  down  with  in- 
firmities; he  knew  that  only  a  few  years  for  labor  remained 
for  him;  he  saw  the  opposition  which  he  must  meet;  but, 
encouraged  by  the  promises  of  God's  word,  he  went  forward 
nothing  daunted.  In  the  full  vigor  of  his  intellectual  pow- 
ers, rich  in  experience,  he  had  been  preserved  and  prepared 
by  God's  special  providence  for  this,  the  greatest  of  his 
labors.  "While  all  Christendom  was  filled  with  tumult,  the 
Reformer  in  his  rectory  at  Lutterworth,  unheeding  the  storm 
that  raged  without,  applied  himself  to  his  chosen  task. 

At  last  the  work  was  completed, —  the  first  English  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible  ever  made.  The  word  of  God  was  opened 
to  England.  The  Reformer  feared  not  now  the  prison  or 
the  stake.  He  had  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  English 
people  a  light  which  should  never  be  extinguished.  In 
giving  the  Bible  to  his  countrymen,  he  had  done  more  to 
break  the  fetters  of  ignorance  and  vice,  more  to  liberate 
and  elevate  his  country,  than  was  ever  achieved  by  the 
most  brilliant  victories  on  fields  of  battle. 

The  art  of  printing  being  still  unknown,  it  was  only  by 
slow  and  wearisome  labor  that  copies  of  the  Bible  could  be 
multiplied.  So  great  was  the  interest  to  obtain  the  book, 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  17,  ch.  7. 


JOHN   WYCLIFFE  89 

that  many  willingly  engaged  in  tlie  work  of  transcribing  it, 
but  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  copyists  could  supply  the 
demand.  Some  of  the  more  wealthy  purchasers  desired  the 
whole  Bible.  Others  bought  only  a  portion.  In  many  cases, 
several  families  united  to  purchase  a  copy.  Thus  Wycliffe's 
Bible  soon  found  its  way  to  the  homes  of  the  people. 

The  appeal  to  men's  reason  aroused  them  from  their  pas- 
sive submission  to  papal  dogmas.  Wycliffe  now  taught  the 
distinctive  doctrines  of  Protestantism, —  salvation  through 
faith  in  Christ,  and  the  sole  infallibility  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  preachers  whom  he  had  sent  out  circulated  the  Bible, 
together  with  the  Reformer's  writings,  and  with  such  suc- 
cess that  the  new  faith  was  accepted  by  nearly  one  half  of 
the  people  of  England. 

The  appearance  of  the  Scriptures  brought  dismay  to  the 
authorities  of  the  church.  They  had  now  to  meet  an  agency 
more  powerful  than  Wycliffe, —  an  agency  against  which 
their  weapons  would  avail  little.  There  was  at  this  time  no 
law  in  England  prohibiting  the  Bible,  for  it  had  never  be- 
fore been  published  in  the  language  of  the  people.  Such 
laws  were  afterward  enacted  and  rigorously  enforced.  IMean- 
while,  notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  the  priests,  there  was  for 
a  season  opportunity  for  the  circulation  of  the  word  of  God. 

Again  the  papal  leaders  plotted  to  silence  the  Reformer's 
voice.  Before  three  tribunals  he  was  successively  summoned 
for  trial,  but  witliout  avail.  First  a  synod  of  bishops  de- 
clared his  writings  heretical,  and  winning  the  young  king, 
Richard  II.,  to  their  side,  they  obtained  a  royal  decree 
consigning  to  prison  all  who  should  hold  the  condemned 
doctrines. 

Wycliffe  appealed  from  the  synod  to  Parliament ;  he  fear- 
lessly arraigned  the  liierareliy  before  the  national  council, 
and  demanded  a  reform  of  tlie  enormous  abuses  sanctioned 
by  the  church.  With  convincing  ])o\ver  he  portrayed  the 
usurpations  and  corruptions  of  the  papal  see.  His  enemies 
were  brought  to  confusion.  The  friends  and  supporters  of 
Wycliffe  had  been  forced  to  yield,  and  it  had  been  confi- 


90  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

dently  expected  that  the  Reformer  himself,  in  his  old  age, 
alone  and  friendless,  would  bow  to  the  combined  authority 
of  the  crown  and  the  mitre.  But  instead  of  this  the  papists 
saw  themselves  defeated.  Parliament,  roused  by  the  stir- 
ring appeals  of  Wyeliffe,  repealed  the  persecuting  edict, 
and  the  Reformer  was  again  at  liberty. 

A  third  time  he  was  brouglit  to  trial,  and  now  before  the 
highest  ecclesiastical  tribunal  in  the  kingdom.  Here  no 
favor  would  be  shown  to  heresy.  Here  a^  last  Rome  would 
triumph,  and  the  Reformer's  work  would  be  stopped.  So 
thought  the  papists.  If  they  could  but  accomplish  their 
purpose,  Wyeliffe  would  be  forced  to  abjure  his  doctrines, 
or  would  leave  the  court  only  for  the  flames. 

But  Wyeliffe  did  not  retract;  he  would  not  dissemble. 
He  fearlessly  maintained  his  teachings,  and  repelled  the  ac- 
cusations of  his  persecutors.  Losing  sight  of  himself,  of  his 
position,  of  the  occasion,  he  summoned  his  hearers  before 
the  divine  tribunal,  and  weighed  their  sophistries  and 
deceptions  in  the  balances  of  eternal  truth.  The  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  felt  in  the  council-room.  A  spell  from 
God  was  upon  the  hearers.  They  seemed  to  have  no  power 
to  leave  the  place.  As  arrows  from  the  Lord's  quiver,  the 
Reformer's  words  pierced  their  hearts.  The  charge  of  her- 
esy, which  they  had  brought  against  him,  he  with  convinc- 
ing power  threw  back  upon  themselves.  Why,  he  demanded, 
did  they  dare  to  spread  their  errors?  For  the  sake  of 
gain,  to  make  merchandise  of  the  grace  of  God. 

"With  whom,  think  you,"  he  finally  said,  "are  ye  con- 
tending? with  an  old  man  on  the  brink  of  the  grave?  No! 
with  Truth, —  Truth  which  is  stronger  than  you,  and  will 
overcome  you." '  So  saying,  he  withdrew  from  the  assembly, 
and  not  one  of  his  adversaries  attempted  to  prevent  him. 

Wycliffe's  work  was  almost  done;  the  banner  of  truth 

which  he  had  so  long  borne  was  soon  to  fall  from  his  hand; 

but  once  more  he  was  to  bear  witness  for  the  gospel.     The 

truth  was  to  be  proclaimed  from  the  very  stronghold  of  the 

^Wylie,  b.  2,  ch.  13. 


JOHN   WYCLIFFE  91 

kingdom  of  error.  Wycliffe  was  summoned  for  trial  before 
the  papal  tribunal  at  Rome,  which  had  so  often  shed  the 
blood  of  the  saints.  He  was  not  blind  to  the  danger  that 
threatened  him,  yet  he  would  have  obeyed  the  summons  had 
not  a  shock  of  palsy  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  perform 
the  journey.  But  though  his  voice  was  not  to  be  heard  at 
Rome,  he  could  speak  by  letter,  and  this  he  determined  to  do. 
From  his  rectory  the  Reformer  wrote  to  the  pope  a  letter, 
which,  while  respectful  in  tone  and  Christian  in  spirit,  was 
a  keen   rebuke   to   the   pomp    and   pride   of   the   papal  see. 

"Verily  I  do  rejoice,"  he  said,  "to  open  and  declare  unto 
every  man  the  faith  which  I  do  hold,  and  especially  unto 
the  bishop  of  Rome:  which,  forasmuch  as  I  do  suppose  to 
be  sound  and  true,  he  will  most  willingly  confirm  my  said 
faith,  or  if  it  be  erroneous,  amend  the  same. 

"First,  I  suppose  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  the  whole 
body  of  God's  law.  ...  1  do  give  and  hold  the  bishop  of 
Rome,  forasmuch  as  he  is  the  vicar  of  Christ  here  on  earth, 
to  be  most  bound,  of  all  other  men,  unto  that  law  of  the 
gospel.  For  the  greatness  among  Christ's  disciples  did  not 
consist  in  worldly  dignity  or  honors,  but  in  the  near  and 
exact  following  of  Christ  in  His  life  and  manners.  .  .  . 
Christ,  for  the  time  ^  of  His  pilgrimage  here,  was  a  most 
poor  man,  abjecting  and  casting  off  all  worldly  rule  and 
honor.  .  .  . 

"No  faithful  man  ought  to  follow  either  the  pope  him- 
self or  any  of  the  holy  men,  but  in  such  points  as  he  hath 
followed  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  Peter  and  the  sons  of 
Zebedee,  by  desiring  worldly  honor,  contrary  to  the  fol- 
lowing of  Christ's  steps,  did  offend,  and  therefore  in  those 
errors  they  are  not  to  be  followed.  .  .  . 

"The  pope  ought  to  leave  unto  the  secular  power  all 
temporal  dominion  and  rule,  and  thereunto  effectually  to 
move  and  exhort  his  whole  clergy;  for  so  did  Christ,  and 
especially  by  His  apostles.  Wherefore,  if  I  have  erred  in  any 
of  these  points,  I  will  most  humbly  submit  myself  unto  cor- 


92  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

rection,  even  by  death,  if  necessity  so  require;  and  if  I 
could  labor  according  to  my  will  or  desire  in  mine  own 
person,  I  would  surely  present  myself  before  the  bishop 
of  Rome;  but  the  Lord  hath  otherwse  visited  me  to  the 
contrary,  and  hath  taught  me  rather  to  obey  God  than 
men. ' ' 

In  closing  he  said:  "Let  us  pray  unto  our  God,  that  He 
will  so  stir  up  our  pope  Urban  VI.,  as  he  began,  that  he 
with  his  clergy  may  follow  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  life 
and  manners;  and  that  they  may  teach  the  people  effect- 
ually, and  that  they,  likewise,  may  faithfully  follow  them 
in  the  same. ' ' ' 

Thus  Wycliffe  presented  to  the  pope  and  his  cardinals 
the  meekness  and  humility  of  Christ,  exhibiting  not  only 
to  themselves  but  to  all  Christendom  the  contrast  between 
them  and  the  Master  whose  representatives  they  professed 
to  be. 

Wycliffe  fully  expected  that  his  life  would  be  the  price 
of  his  fidelity.  The  king,  the  pope,  and  the  bishops  were 
united  to  accomplish  his  ruin,  and  it  seemed  certain  that  a 
few  months  at  most  would  bring  him  to  the  stake.  But 
his  courage  was  unshaken.  "Why  do  you  talk  of  seeking 
the  crown  of  martyrdom  afar?"  he  said.  "Preach  the 
gospel  of  Christ  to  haughty  prelates,  and  martyrdom  will 
not  fail  you.  What !  I  should  live  and  be  silent  ?  .  .  . 
Never!     Let  the  blow  fall,  I  await  its  coming."* 

But   God's   providence  still   shielded  His  servant.      The 

man  who  for  a  whole  lifetime  had  stood  boldly  in  defense 

of  the  truth,  in  daily  peril  of  his  life,  was  not  to   fall  a 

victim  to  the  hatred  of  its  foes.     Wycliffe  had  never  sought 

to   shield   himself,    but   the   Lord   had   been   his   protector; 

and  now,  when  his  enemies  felt  sure  of  their  prey,  God's 

hand  removed  him  beyond  their  reach.     In  his  church  at 

Lutterworth,   as  he  was  about  to  dispense  the  communion, 

he  fell,  stricken  vdih  palsy,  and  in  a  short  time  yielded  up 

his  life. 

Toxe,  "Acts  anrl  Monuments"   Ce<5ited  bv  Rev.    J.   Pratt), 
Vol.  Ill,  pp.  49,  50.  '  D  'Aubigne,  b.  17,  ch.  8. 


JOHN   WYCLIFFE  93 

God  had  appointed  to  Wycliffe  his  work.  He  had  put 
the  word  of  truth  in  }iis  mouth,  and  He  set  a  guard  about 
him  that  this  word  might  come  to  the  people.  His  life  was 
protected,  and  his  labors  were  prolonged,  until  a  founda- 
tion was  laid  for  the  great  work  of  the  Reformation. 

Wycliffe  came  from  the  obscurity  of  the  Dark  Ages. 
There  were  none  who  went  before  him  from  whose  work  he 
could  shape  his  system  of  reform.  Raised  up  like  John  the 
Baptist  to  accomplish  a  special  mission,  he  was  the  herald  of 
a  new  era.  Yet  in  the  system  of  truth  which  he  presented 
there  was  a  unity  and  completeness  which  Reformers  who 
followed  him  did  not  exceed,  and  which  some  did  not  reach, 
even  a  hundred  years  later.  So  broad  and  deep  was  laid 
the  foundation,  so  firm  and  true  was  the  framework,  that 
it  needed  not  to  be  reconstructed  by  those  Avho  came 
a.fter    him. 

The  great  movement  that  Wycliffe  inaugurated,  which 
was  to  liberate  the  conscience  and  the  intellect,  and  set  free 
the  nations  so  long  bound  to  the  triumphal  car  of  Rome, 
had  its  spring  in  the  Bi])le.  Here  was  the  source  of  that 
stream  of  blessing,  which,  like  the  water  of  life,  has  flowed 
down  the  ages  since  the  fourteenth  century.  Wycliffe  ac- 
cepted the  Holy  Scriptures  with  implicit  faith  as  the  inspired 
revelation  of  God's  will,  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice. He  had  been  educated  to  regard  the  Church  of  Rome 
as  the  divine,  infallible  authority,  and  to  accept  with  un- 
questioning reverence  the  established  teachings  and  customs 
of  a  thousand  years;  but  he  turned  away  from  all  these  to 
listen  to  God's  holy  word.  This  was  the  authority  which 
he  urged  the  people  to  acknowledge.  Instead  of  the  church 
speaking  through  the  pope,  he  declared  the  only  true  author- 
ity to  be  the  •  voice  of  God  speaking  through  His  word. 
And  he  taught  not  only  that  the  Bible  is  a  perfect  reve- 
lation of  God's  will,  but  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  its  only 
interpreter,  and  that  every  man  is,  by  the  study  of  its 
teachings,  to  learn  his  duty  for  himself.  Thus  lie  turned 
the  minds  of  men  from  the  pope  and  the  Church  of  Rome 
to  the  word  of  God. 


94  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Wycliffe  was  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  Reformers.  In 
breadth  of  intellect,  in  clearness  of  thought,  in  firmness  to 
maintain  the  truth,  and  boldness  to  defend  it,  he  was  equaled 
by  few  who  came  after  him.  Purity  of  life,  unwearying 
diligence  in  study  and  in  labor,  incorruptible  integrity,  and 
Christlike  love  and  faithfulness  in  his  ministry,  character- 
ized the  first  of  the  Reformers.  And  this  notwithstanding 
the  intellectual  darkness  and  moral  corruption  of  the  age 
from  which  he  emerged. 

The  character  of  Wycliffe  is  a  testimony  to  the  educating, 
transforming  power  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  was  the 
Bible  that  made  him  what  he  was.  The  effort  to  grasp  the 
great  truths  of  revelation  imparts  freshness  and  vigor  to  all 
the  faculties.  It  expands  the  mind,  sharpens  the  percep- 
tions, and  ripens  the  judgment.  The  study  of  the  Bible  will 
ennoble  every  thought,  feeling,  and  aspiration  as  no  other 
study  can.  It  gives  stability  of  purpose,  patience,  courage, 
and  fortitude ;  it  refines  the  character,  and  sanctifies  the 
soul.  An  earnest,  reverent  study  of  the  Scriptures,  bringing 
the  mind  of  the  student  in  direct  contact  with  the  infinite 
mind,  would  give  to  the  world  men  of  stronger  and  more 
active  intellect,  as  well  as  of  nobler  principle,  than  has  ever 
resulted  from  the  ablest  training  that  human  philosophy 
affords.  "The  entrance  of  Thy  words,"  says  the  psalmist, 
"giveth  light;  it  giveth  understanding."* 

The  doctrines  which  had  been  taught  by  Wycliffe  con- 
tinued for  a  time  to  spread;  his  followers,  known  as 
Wycliffites  and  Lollards,  not  only  traversed  England,  but 
scattered  to  other  lands,  carrying  the  knowledge  of  the 
gospel.  Now  that  their  leader  was  removed,  the  preachers 
labored  with  even  greater  zeal  than  before,  and  multitudes 
flocked  to  listen  to  their  teachings.  Some  of  the  nobility, 
and  even  the  wife  of  the  king,  were  among  the  converts. 
In  many  places  there  was  a  marked  reform  in  the  manners 
of  the  people,  and  the  idolatrous  symbols  of  Romanism  were 
removed  from  the  churches.  But  soon  the  pitiless  storm  of 
persecution  burst  upon  those  who  had  dared  to  accept  the 

»Ps.  119:130. 


JOHN  WYCLTFFE  95 

Bible  as  their  guide.  The  English  raonarchs,  eager  to 
strengthen  tlieir  power  by  securing  the  support  of  Rome, 
did  not  hesitate  to  sacrifice  the  Reformers.  For  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  England,  the  stake  was  decreed 
against  the  disciples  of  the  gospel.  Martyrdom  succeeded 
martyrdom.  The  advocates  of  truth,  proscribed  and  tor- 
tured, could  only  pour  their  cries  into  the  ear  of  the  Lord 
of  Sabaoth.  Hunted  as  foes  of  the  church  and  traitors  to 
the  realm,  they  continued  to  preach  in  secret  places,  find- 
ing shelter  as  best  they  could  in  the  humble  homes  of  the 
poor,  and  often  hiding  away  even  in  dens  and  caves. 

Notwithstanding  the  rage  of  persecution,  a  calm,  devout, 
earnest,  patient  protest  against  the  prevailing  corruption  of 
religious  faith  continued  for  centuries  to  be  uttered.  The 
Christians  of  that  early  time  had  only  a  partial  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  but  they  had  learned  to  love  and  obey  Cod's 
word,  and  they  patiently  suffered  for  its  sake.  Like  the 
disciples  in  apostolic  days,  many  sacrificed  their  worldly 
possessions  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  Those  who  were  per- 
mitted to  dwell  in  their  homes,  gladly  sheltered  their 
banished  brethren ;  and  when  they  too  were  driven  forth, 
they  cheerfully  accepted  the  lot  of  the  outcast.  Thousands, 
it  is  true,  terrified  by  the  fury  of  their  persecutors,  pur- 
chased their  freedom  at  the  sacrifice  of  their  faith,  and 
went  out  of  their  prisons,  clothed  in  penitents'  robes,  to 
publish  their  recantation.  But  the  number  was  not  small 
—  and  among  them  were  men  of  nol)le  birth  as  well  as 
the  humble  and  lowly  —  who  bore  fearless  testimony  to  the 
truth  in  dungeon  cells,  in  "Lollard  towers,"  and  in  the 
midst  of  torture  and  flame,  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted 
worthy  to  know  "the  fellowship  of  His  sufferings." 

The  papists  had  failed  to  work  their  will  with  Wycliffe 
during  his  life,  and  their  hatred  could  not  ])e  satisfied  whi]4» 
his  body  rested  quietly  in  the  grave.  By  tlie  decree  of  the 
Council  of  Constance,  more  than  forty  years  after  his  death 
his  bones  were  exhumed  and  publicly  burned,  and  the  ashes 
were  thrown  into  a  neighboring  brouk.     "This  brook,"  says 


96  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

an  old  writer,  "hatli  conveyed  liis  ashes  into  Avon,  Avon 
into  Severn,  Severn  into  the  narrow  seas,  they  into  the 
main  ocean.  And  thus  the  ashes  of  Wyclift'e  are  the  emblem 
of  his  doctrine,  which  now  is  dispersed  all  the  world  over. ' ' ' 
Little  did  his  enemies  realize  the  significance  of  their  ma- 
licious act. 

It  was  through  the  writings  of  Wyclift'e  that  John  Huss, 
of  Bohemia,  was  led  to  renounce  many  of  the  errors  of 
Romanism,  and  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  reform.  Thus  in 
these  two  countries,  so  wndely  separated,  the  seed  of  truth 
was  sown.  From  Bohemia  the  work  extended  to  other  lands. 
The  minds  of  men  were  directed  to  the  long-forgotten  word 
of  God.  A  divine  hand  was  preparing  the  way  for  the 
Great  Reformation. 

>  Fuller,  T.,  "Church  History  of  Britain,"  b.  4,  sec.  2,  par.  54. 


HUSS   AND   cJEROME-6 

The  gospel  had  been  planted  in  Bohemia  as  early  as  the 
ninth  century.  The  Bible  was  translated,  and  public  wor- 
ship was  conducted,  in  the  language  of  the  people.  But  as 
the  power  of  the  pope  increased,  so  the  word  of  God  was 
obscured.  Gregory  VII.,  wlio  had  taken  it  upon  him  to 
humble  the  pride  of  kings,  was  no  less  intent  upon  en- 
slaving the  people,  and  accordingly  a  bull  was  issued  for- 
bidding public  worship  to  be  conducted  in  the  Bohemian 
tongue.  The  pope  declared  that  ''it  was  pleasing  to  the 
Omnipotent  that  His  worship  should  be  celebrated  in  an 
unknown  language,  and  that  many  evils  and  heresies  had 
arisen  from  not  observing  this  rule. ' '  *  Thus  Rome  decreed 
that  the  light  of  God's  word  should  be  extinguished,  and 
the  people  should  be  shut  up  in  darkness.  But  Heaven 
had  provided  other  agencies  for  the  preservation  of  the 
church.  Many  of  the  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  driven 
by  persecution  from  their  homes  in  France  and  Italy,  came 
to  Bohemia.  Though  they  dared  not  teach  openly,  they 
labored  zealously  in  secret.  Thus  the  true  faith  was  pre- 
served from  century  to  century. 

Before  the  days  of  ITuss,  there  were  men  in  Bohemia  who 
TOAG  up  to  condemn  openly  the  corruption  in  the  church 
and  the  profligacy  of  the  people.  Their  labors  excited  wide- 
spread interest.  The  fears  of  the  liierarcliy  were  roused,  and 
persecution  was  opened  against  the  disciples  of  the  gospel. 

•WyUe,  b.  3,  ch,  1. 

(97) 
4_G.  C. 


98  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Driven  to  worship  in  the  forests  and  the  mountains,  they 
were  hunted  by  soldiers,  and  many  were  put  to  death.  After 
a  time  it  was  decreed  that  all  who  departed  from  the  Rom- 
ish worship  should  be  burned.  But  while  the  Christians 
yielded  up  their  -lives,  they  looked  forward  to  the  triumph 
of  their  cause.  One  of  those  who  "taught  that  salvation 
was  only  to  be  found  by  faith  in  the  crucified  Saviour," 
declared  when  dying,  "The  rage  of  the  enemies  of  the  truth 
now  prevails  against  us,  but  it  will  not  be  forever;  there 
shall  arise  one  from  among  the  common  people,  without 
sword  or  authority,  and  against  him  they  shall  not  be  able 
to  prevail.'"  Luther's  time  was  yet  far  distant;  but  al- 
ready one  was  rising,  whose  testimony  against  Rome  would 
stir  the  nations. 

John  Huss  was  of  hum})le  birth,  and  was  early  left  an 
orphan  by  the  death  of  his  father.  Ilis  pious  mother,  re- 
garding education  and  the  fear  of  God  as  the  most  valuable 
of  possessions,  sought  to  secure  this  heritage  for  her  son. 
Huss  studied  at  tlie  provincial  school,  and  then  repaired  to 
the  university  at  Prague,  receiving  admission  as  a  charity 
scholar.  ITe  was  accompanied  on  the  journey  to  Prague  by 
his  mother;  widowed  and  poor,  she  had  no  gift  of  worldly 
wealth  to  bestow  upon  her  son,  but  as  they  drew  near  to 
the  great  city,  she  kneeled  down  beside  the  fatherless  youth, 
and  invoked  for  him  the  blessing  of  their  Father  in  heaven. 
Little  did  that  mother  realize  how  her  prayer  was  to  be 
answered. 

At  the  university,  IIuss  soon  distinguished  himself  by  his 
untiring  application  and  rapid  progress,  while  his  blameless 
life  and  gentle,  winning  deportment  gained  him  universal 
esteem.  He  was  a  sincere  adherent  of  the  Roman  Church, 
and  an  earnest  seeker  for  the  spiritual  blessings  which  it 
professes  to  bestow.  On  the  occasion  of  a  jubilee,  he  went 
to  confession,  paid  the  last  few  coins  in  his  scanty  stdre,  and 
joined  in  the  processions,  that  he  might  share  in  the  abso- 
lution promised.  After  completing  his  college  course,  he 
entered  the  priesthood,  and  rapidly  attaining  to  eminence, 
*  Wylie,  b.  3,  ch.  1. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  99. 

he  soon  became  attached  to  the  court  of  the  king.  He  was 
also  made  professor  and  afterward  rector  of  the  university 
where  he  had  received  his  education.  In  a  few  years  the 
humble  charity  scholar  had  become  the  pride  of  his  country, 
and  his  name  was  renowned  throughout  Europe. 

But  it  was  in  another  field  that  Huss  began  the  work 
of  reform.  Several  years  after  taking  priest's  orders  he 
was  appointed  preacher  of  the  chapel  of  Bethlehem.  The 
founder  of  this  chapel  had  advocated,  as  a  matter  of  great 
importance,  the  preaching  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  language 
of  the  people.  Notwithstanding  Rome's  opposition  to  this 
practice,  it  had  not  been  wholly  discontinued  in  Bohemia. 
But  there  was  great  ignorance  of  the  Bible,  and  the  worst 
vices  prevailed  among  the  people  of  all  ranks.  These  evils 
Huss  unsparingly  denounced,  appealing  to  the  word  of 
God  to  enforce  the  principles  of  truth  and  purity  which 
he  inculcated. 

A  citizen  of  Prague,  Jerome,  who  afterward  became  so 
closely  associated  with  Huss,  had,  on  returning  from  Eng- 
land, brought  with  him  the  writings  of  Wycliffe.  The 
queen  of  England,  who  had  been  a  convert  to  Wycliffe 's 
teachings,  was  a  Bohemian  princess,  and  through  her  influ- 
ence also  the  Reformer's  works  were  widely  circulated  in  her 
native  country.  These  works  Huss  read  with  interest;  he 
believed  their  author  to  be  a  sincere  Christian,  and  was  in- 
clined to  regard  with  favor  the  reforms  which  he  advo- 
cated. Already,  though  he  knew  it  not,  Huss  had  entered 
upon  a  path  which  was  to  lead  him  far  away  from  Rome. 

About  this  time  there  arrived  in  Prague  two  strangers 
from  England,  men  of  learning,  who  had  received  the  light, 
and  had  come  to  spread  it  in  this  distant  land.  Beginning 
with  an  open  attack  on  the  pope's  supremacy,  they  were  soon 
silenced  by  the  authorities;  but  being  un\Wlling  to  relinquish 
their  purpose,  they  had  recourse  to  other  measures.  Being 
artists  as  well  as  preachers,  they  proceeded  to  exercise  their 
skill.  In  a  place  open  to  the  public  they  drew  two  pictures. 
One    represented    the    entrance    of    Christ    into    Jerusalem, 


100  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

' '  meek,  and  sitting  upon  an  ass, ' '  *  and  followed  by  His  dis- 
ciples in  travel-worn  garments  and  with  naked  feet.  The 
other  picture  portrayed  a  pontifical  procession, —  the  pope 
arrayed  in  his  rich  robes  and  triple  crown,  mounted  upon 
a  horse  magnificently  adorned,  preceded  by  trumpeters,  and 
followed  by  cardinals  and  prelates  in  dazzling  array. 

Here  was  a  sermon  which  arrested  the  attention  of  all 
classes.  Crowds  came  to  gaze  upon  the  drawings.  None 
could  fail  to  read  the  moral,  and  many  were  deeply  im- 
pressed by  the  contrast  between  the  meekness  and  humility 
of  Christ  the  Master,  and  the  pride  and  arrogance  of  the 
pope,  His  professed  servant.  There  was  great  commotion  in 
Prague,  and  the  strangers  after  a  time  found  it  necessary, 
for  their  own  safety,  to  depart.  But  the  lesson  they  had 
taught  was  not  forgotten.  The  pictures  made  a  deep  im- 
pression on  the  mind  of  IIuss,  and  led  him  to  a  closer  study 
of  the  Bible  and  of  Wycliffe's  writings.  Though  he  was  not 
prepared,  even  yet,  to  accept  all  the  reforms  advocated  by 
Wycliffe,  he  saw  more  clearly  the  true  character  of  the 
papacy,  and  with  greater  zeal  denounced  the  pride,  the 
ambition,  and  the  corruption  of  the  hierarchy. 

From  Bohemia  the  light  extended  to  Germany;  for  dis- 
turbances in  the  University  of  Prague  caused  the  withdrawal 
of  hundreds  of  German  students.  Many  of  them  had  re- 
ceived from  Huss  their  first  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  and  on 
their  return  they  spread  the  gospel  in  their  fatherland. 

Tidings  of  the  work  at  Prague  were  carried  to  Rome,  and 
Huss  was  soon  summoned  to  appear  before  the  pope.  To 
obey  would  be  to  expose  himself  to  certain  death.  The  king 
and  queen  of  Bohemia,  the  university,  members  of  the  no- 
bility, and  officers'  of  the  government,  united  in  an  appeal 
to  the  pontiff  that  Huss  be  permitted  to  remain  at  Prague, 
and  to  answer  at  Rome  by  deputy.  Instead  of  granting 
this  request,  the  pope  proceeded  to  the  trial  and  condem- 
nation of  Huss,  and  then  declared  the  city  of  Prague  to 
be  under  interdict. 

^Matt.  21:5. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  101 

In  that  age  this  sentence,  whenever  pronounced,  created 
wide-spread  alarm.  The  ceremonies  by  which  it  was  accom- 
panied were  well  adapted  to  strike  terror  to  a  people  who 
looked  upon  the  pope  as  the  representative  of  God  Himself, 
holding  the  keys  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  possessing  power 
to  invoke  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  judgments.  It  was 
believed  that  the  gates  of  heaven  were  closed  against  the 
region  smitten  with  interdict ;  that  until  it  should  please 
the  pope  to  remove  the  ban,  the  dead  were  shut  out  from 
the  abodes  of  bliss.  In  token  of  this  terrible  calamity, 
all  the  services  of  religion  were  suspended.  The  churches 
were  closed.  Marriages  were  solemnized  in  the  churchyard. 
The  dead,  denied  burial  in  consecrated  ground,  were  in- 
terred, without  the  rites  of  sepulture,  in  the  ditches  or  the 
fields.  Thus  by  measures  which  appealed  to  the  imagina- 
tion, Rome  essayed  to  control  the  consciences  of  men. 

The  city  of  Prague  was  filled  with  tumult.  A  large  class 
denounced  Huss  as  the  cause  of  all  their  calamities,  and 
demanded  that  he  be  given  up  to  the  vengeance  of  Rome. 
To  quiet  the  storm,  the  Reformer  withdrew  for  a  time  to  his 
native  village.  Writing  to  the  friends  Avhom  he  had  left  at 
Prague,  he  said:  "If  I  have  withdrawn  from  the  midst  of 
you,  it  is  to  follow  the  precept  and  example  of  Jesus  Christ, 
in  order  not  to  give  room  to  the  ill-minded  to  draw  on  them- 
selves eternal  condemnation,  and  in  order  not  to  be  to  the 
pious  a  cause  of  afthction  and  persecution.  I  have  retired 
also  through  an  apprehension  that  impious  priests  might 
continue  for  a  longer  time  to  prohibit  the  preaching  of  the 
word  of  God  amongst  you;  but  I  have  not  quitted  you  to 
deny  the  divine  truth,  for  which,  with  God's  assistance,  I  am 
willing  to  die.'"  IIuss  did  not  cease  his  labors,  but  trav- 
eled through  the  surrounding  country,  preaching  to  eager 
crowds.  Thus  the  measures  to  which  the  pope  resorted  to 
suppress  the  gospel,  were  causing  it  to  be  the  more  widely 
extended.  "We  can  do  nothing  against  the  truth,  but  for 
the  truth.'" 

*  Bonneohose,  "The  Reformers  before  the    Ref ormatioQ, " 
Vol.  I,  p.  87    (ed.  1844).  »2  Cor.  13:8. 


102  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"The  mind  of  Huss,  at  this  stage  of  his  career,  would 
seem  to  have  been  the  scene  of  a  painful  conflict.  Although 
the  church  was  seeking  to  overwhelm  him  by  her  thunder- 
bolts, he  had  not  renounced  her  authority.  The  Roman 
Church  was  still  to  him  the  spouse  of  Christ,  and  the  pope 
was  the  representative  and  vicar  of  God.  What  Huss  was 
warring  against  was  the  abuse  of  authority,  not  the  principle 
itself.  This  brought  on  a  terrible  conflict  between  the  convic- 
tions of  his  understanding  and  the  claims  of  his  conscience. 
Li  the  authority  was  just  and  infallible,  as  he  believed  it 
to  be,  how  came  it  that  he  felt  compelled  to  disobey  it? 
To  obey,  he  saw,  w^as  to  sin;  but  why  should  obedience  to 
an  infallible  church  lead  to  such  an  issue?  This  was  the 
problem  he  could  not  solve;  this  was  the  doubt  that  tortured 
him  hour  by  hour.  The  nearest  approximation  to  a  solution 
which  he  was  alile  to  make,  was  that  it  had  happened  again, 
as  once  before  in  the  days  of  the  Sa\aour,  that  the  priests  of 
the  church  had  become  wicked  persons,  and  were  using  their 
lawful  authority  for  unlawful  ends.  This  led  him  to  adopt 
for  his  own  guidance,  and  to  preach  to  others  for  theirs,  the 
maxim  tliat  the  ])rc('epts  of  Scripture,  conveyed  through 
the  understanding,  are  to  rule  the  conscience;  in  other 
w^ords,  that  God  speaking  in  the  Bible,  and  not  the  church 
speaking  through  the  priesthood,  is  the  one  infallible  guide.'" 

When  after  a  time  the  excitement  in  Prague  subsided, 
Huss  returned  to  his  chapel  of  Bethlehem,  to  continue  with 
greater  zeal  and  courage  the  preaching  of  the  word  of  God. 
His  enemies  were  active  and  powerful,  but  the  queen  and 
many  of  the  nobles  were  his  friends,  and  the  people  in  great 
numbers  sided  with  him.  Comparing  his  pure  and  elevat- 
ing teachings  and  holy  life  with  the  degrading  dogmas 
which  the  Romanists  preached,  and  the  avarice  and  de- 
bauchery which  they  practised,  many  regarded  it  an  honor 
to  be  on  his  side. 

Hitherto  Huss  had  stood  alone  in  his  labors;  but  now 
Jerome,  who  while  in  England  had  accepted  the  teachings' 
^Wylie,  b.  3,  ch.  2- 


HUSS  AND   JEROME  103 

of  Wycliffe,  joined  in  the  work  of  reform.  The  two  were 
hereafter  united  in  their  lives,  and  in  death  they  were  not 
to  be  divided.  Brilliancy  of  genius,  eloquence  and  learning 
—  gifts  that  win  popular  favor  —  were  possessed  in  a  pre- 
eminent degree  by  Jerome;  but  in  those  qualities  which  con- 
stitute real  strength  of  character,  Huss  was  the  greater.  His 
calm  judgment  served  as  a  restraint  upon  the  impulsive 
spirit  of  Jerome,  who,  with  true  humility,  perceived  his 
worth,  and  yielded  to  his  counsels.  Under  their  united 
labors  the  reform  was  more  rapidly  extended. 

God  permitted  great  light  to  shine  upon  the  minds  of 
these  chosen  men,  revealing  to  them  many  of  the  errors  of 
Rome;  but  they  did  not  receive  all  the  light  that  was  to  be 
given  to  the  world.  Through  these,  His  servants,  God  was 
leading  the  people  out  of  the  darkness  of  Romanism;  but 
there  were  many  and  great  obstacles  for  them  to  meet,  and 
He  led  them  on,  step  by  step,  as  they  could  bear  it.  They 
were  not  prepared  to  receive  all  the  light  at  once.  Like  the 
full  glory  of  tlie  noontide  sun  to  those  who  have  long  dwelt 
in  darkness,  it  would,  if  presented,  have  caused  them  to  turn 
away.  Therefore  He  revealed  it  to  the  leaders  little  by 
little,  as  it  could  be  received  by  the  people.  From  century 
to  century,  other  faithful  workers  were  to  follow,  to  lead 
the  people  on  still  farther  in  the  path  of  reform. 

The  schism  in  the  church  still  continued.  Three  popes 
were  now  contending  for  the  supremacy,  and  their  strife 
filled  Christendom  with  crime  and  tumult.  Not  content 
with  hurling  anathemas,  they  resorted  to  temporal  weapons. 
Each  cast  about  him  to  purchase  arms  and  to  obtain  soldiers. 
Of  course  money  must  be  had;  and  to  procure  this,  the 
gifts,  offices,  and  blessings  of  the  church  were  offered  for 
sale.'  The  priests  also,  imitating  their  superiors,  resorted  to 
simony  and  war  to  humble  tlieir  rivals  and  strengthen  their 
own  power.  With  daily  increasing  boldness,  Huss  thundered 
against  the  abominations  which  were  tolerated  in  the  name  of 
religion;  and  the  people  openly  accused  the  Romish  leaders 
as  the  cause  of  the  miseries  that  overwhelmed  Christendom. 
'  See  Appendix. 


104  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Again  the  city  of  Prague  seemed  on  the  verge  of  a 
bloody  conflict.  As  in  former  ages,  God's  servant  was  ac- 
cused as  ' '  he  that  troubleth  Israel. ' '  ^  The  city  was  again 
placed  under  interdict,  and  Huss  withdrew  to  his  native 
village.  The  testimony  so  faithfully  borne  from  his  loved 
chapel  of  Bethlehem  was  ended.  He  was  to  speak  from  a 
wider  stage,  to  all  Christendom,  before  laying  down  his  life 
as  a  witness  for  the  truth. 

To  cure  the  evils  that  were  distracting  Europe,  a  general 
council  was  sunmioned  to  meet  at  Constance.  The  council 
was  called  at  the  desire  of  the  emperor  Sigismund,  by  one  of 
the  three  rival  popes,  John  XXIII.  The  demand  for  a  coun- 
cil had  been  far  from  welcome  to  Pope  John,  whose  char- 
acter and  policy  could  ill  bear  investigation,  even  by  prelates 
as  lax  in  morals  as  were  the  churchmen  of  those  times. 
He  dared  not,  however,  oppose  the  will  of  Sigismund.* 

The  chief  objects  to  be  accomplished  by  the  council  were 
to  heal  the  schism  in  the  church,  and  to  root  out  heresy. 
Hence  the  two  anti-popes  were  summoned  to  appear  before 
it,  as  well  as  the  leading  propagator  of  the  new  opinions, 
John  Huss.  The  former,  having  regard  to  their  own  safety, 
did  not  attend  in  person,  but  were  represented  by  their  dele- 
gates. Pope  John,  while  ostensibly  {he  convoker  of  the 
council,  came  to  it  with  many  misgivings,  suspecting  the 
emperor's  secret  purpose  to  depose  him,  and  fearing  to 
be  brought  to  account  for  the  vices  which  had  disgraced 
the  tiara,  as  well  as  for  the  crimes  which  had  secured  it. 
Yet  he  made  his  entry  into  the  city  of  Constance  \s'ith  great 
pomp,  attended  by  ecclesiastics  of  the  highest  rank,  and  fol- 
lowed by  a  train  of  courtiers.  All  the  clergy  and  dignita- 
ries of  the  city,  ^snth  an  immense  crowd  of  citizens,  went  out 
to  welcome  him.  Above  his  head  was  a  golden  canopy, 
borne  by  four  of  the  chief  magistrates.  The  host  was  car- 
ried before  him,  and  the  rich  dresses  of  the  cardinals  and 
nobles  made  an  imposing  display. 

Meanwhile  another  traveler  was  approaching  Constance. 
Huss  was  conscious  of  the  dangers  which  threatened  him. 
*1  Kinga  18:17.  *See  Appendix. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  105 

He  parted  from  his  friends  as  if  he  were  never  to  meet  them 
again,  and  went  on  his  journey  feeling  that  it  was  leading 
him  to  the  stake.  Notwithstanding  he  had  obtained  a  safe- 
conduct  from  the  king  of  J3ohemia,  and  received  one  also 
from  the  emperor  Sigismund  while  on  his  journey,  he  made 
all  his  arrangements  in  view  of  the  probability  of  his  death. 

In  a  letter  addressed  to  his  friends  at  Prague  he  said: 
"My  brethren,  ...  I  am  departing  with  a  safe-conduct  from 
the  king,  to  meet  my  numerous  and  mortal  enemies.  ...  I 
confide  altogether  in  the  all-powerful  God,  in  my  Saviour; 
I  trust  that  He  will  listen  to  your  ardent  prayers,  that  He 
will  infuse  His  prudence  and  His  wisdom  into  my  mouth,  in 
order  that  I  may  resist  them;  and  that  He  will  accord  me 
His  Holy  Spirit  to  fortify  me  in  His  truth,  so  that  I  may 
face  with  courage,  temptations,  prison,  and  if  necessary,  a 
cruel  death.  Jesus  Christ  suffered  for  His  well-beloved;  and 
therefore  ought  we  to  be  astonished  that  He  has  left  us  His 
example,  in  order  that  we  may  ourselves  endure  with  pa- 
tience all  things  for  our  own  salvation?  He  is  God,  and  we 
are  His  creatures;  He  is  the  Lord,  and  we  are  His  servants; 
He  is  Master  of  the  world,  and  we  are  contemptible  mor- 
tals :  —  yet  He  suffered !  Why,  then,  should  we  not  suffer 
also,  particularly  Avhen  suffering  is  for  us  a  purification? 
Therefore,  beloved,  if  my  death  ought  to  contribute  to  His 
glory,  pray  that  it  may  come  quickly,  and  that  He  may 
enable  me  to  support  all  my  calamities  with  constancy.  But 
if  it  be  better  that  I  return  amongst  you,  let  us  pray  to  God 
that  I  may  return  without  stain, —  that  is,  that  I  may  not 
suppress  one  tittle  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  in  order  to 
leave  my  brethren  an  excellent  example  to  follow.  Probably, 
therefore,  you  will  never  more  behold  my  face  at  Prague; 
but  should  the  will  of  the  all-powerful  God  deign  to  restore 
me  to  you,  let  us  then  advance  with  a  firmer  heart  in  the 
knowledge  and  the  love  of  His  law. ' '  * 

In  another  letter,  to  a  priest  who  had  become  a  disciple 
of  the  gospel,  Huss  spoke  with  deep  humility  of  his  own 
errors,  accusing  himself  "of  having  felt  pleasure  in  wearing 
*  Bonnechose,  Vol,  I,  pp.  147,  148. 


106  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

rich  apparel,  and  of  having  wasted  hours  in  frivolous  occu- 
pations."  He  then  added  these  touching  admonitions:  "May 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls  occupy  thy  mind, 
and  not  the  possession  of  benefices  and  estates.  Beware  of 
adorning  thy  house  more  than  thy  soul;  and  above  all,  give 
thy  care  to  the  spiritual  edifice.  Be  pious  and  humble  mth 
the  poor,  and  consume  not  thy  substance  in  feasting. 
Shouldst  thou  not  amend  thy  life  and  refrain  from  super- 
fluities, I  fear  that  thou  wilt  be  severely  chastened,  as  I  am 
myself.  .  .  .  Thou  knowest  my  doctrine,  for  thou  hast  re- 
ceived my  instructions  from  thy  childhood;  it  is  therefore 
useless  for  me  to  write  to  thee  any  further.  But  I  conjure 
thee,  by  the  mercy  of  our  Lord,  not  to  imitate  me  in  any  of 
the  vanities  into  which  thou  hast  seen  me  fall."  On  the 
cover  of  the  letter  he  added,  "I  conjure  thee,  my  friend, 
not  to  break  tliis  seal  until  thou  shalt  have  acquired  the 
certitude  that  I  am  dead."* 

On  his  journey,  Huss  everywhere  beheld  indications  of 
the  spread  of  his  doctrines,  and  the  favor  with  which  his 
cause  was  regarded.  The  people  thronged  to  meet  him,  and 
in  some  towns  the  magistrates  attended  him  through  their 
streets. 

Upon  arriving  at  Constance,  Huss  was  granted  full  lib- 
erty. To  the  emperor's  safe-conduct  was  added  a  personal 
assurance  of  protection  by  the  pope.  But  in  violation  of 
these  solemn  and  repeated  declarations,  the  Reformer  was 
in  a  short  time  arrested,  by  order  of  the  pope  and  cardinals, 
and  thrust  into  a  loathsome  dungeon.  Later  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  a  strong  castle  across  the  Rhine,  and  there  kept  a 
prisoner.  The  pope,  profiting  little  by  his  perfidy,  was  soon 
after  committed  to  the  same  prison.*  He  had  been  proved 
before  the  council  to  be  guilty  of  the  barest  crimes,  besides 
murder,  simony,  and  adultery,  "sins  not  fit  to  be  named." 
So  the  council  itself  declared;  and  he  was  finally  deprived 
of  the  tiara,  and  thrown  into  prison.  The  anti-popes  also 
were  deposed,  and  a  new  pontiif  was  chosen. 

>  Bonnechose,  Vol.  I,  pp.  148,  149.  *  See  Idem ,  p.  247. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  107 

Though  the  pope  himself  had  been  guilty  of  greater 
crimes  than  Huss  had  ever  charged  upon  the  priests,  and 
for  which  he  had  demanded  a  reformation,  yet  the  same 
council  which  degraded  the  pontiff  proceeded  to  crush  the 
Reformer.  The  imprisonment  of  Huss  excited  great  indig- 
nation in  Bohemia.  Powerful  noblemen  addressed  to  the 
council  earnest  protests  against  this  outrage.  The  emperor, 
who  was  loath  to  permit  the  violation  of  a  safe-conduct,  op- 
posed the  proceedings  against  him.  But  the  enemies  of  the 
Reformer  were  malignant  and  determined.  They  appealed 
to  the  emperor's  prejudices,  to  his  fears,  to  his  zeal  for  the 
church.  They  brought  forward  arguments  of  great  length  to 
prove  that  "faith  ought  not  to  be  kept  with  heretics,  nor 
persons  suspected  of  heresy,  though  they  are  furnished  witli 
safe-conducts  from  the  emperor  and  kings."*  Thus  they 
prevailed. 

Enfeebled  by  illness  and  imprisonment, —  for  the  damp, 
foul  air  of  his  dungeon  had  brought  on  a  fever  which  nearly 
ended  his  life, —  Huss  was  at  last  brought  before  the  council. 
Loaded  with  chains,  he  stood  in  the  presence  of  the  em- 
peror, whose  honor  and  good  faith  had  been  pledged  to 
protect  him.  During  his  long  trial  he  firmly  maintained  the 
truth,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  dignitaries  of 
church  and  state,  he  uttered  a  solemn  and  faithful  protest 
against  the  corruptions  of  the  hierarchy.  When  required  to 
choose  whether  he  would  recant  his  doctrines  or  suffer 
death,  he  accepted  the  martyr's  fate. 

The  grace  of  God  sustained  him.  During  the  weeks  of 
suffering  that  passed  before  his  final  sentence,  heaven's 
peace  filled  his  soul.  "I  write  this  letter,"  he  said  to  a 
friend,  "in  my  prison,  and  with  my  fettered  hand,  expect- 
ing my  sentence  of  death  to-morrow.  .  ,  .  When,  with  the 
assistance  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  sluill  again  meet  in  the  deli- 
cious peace  of  the  future  life,  you  will  learn  how  merciful 
God  has  shown  Himself  toward  me,  how  effectually  He  has 
supported  me  in  the  midst  of  my  temptations  and  trials."" 

^  Lenf  ant, ' '  History  of  the  Council  of  Constance, ' '  Vol.  I,  p.  516. 
'  Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  p.  67. 


i08  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  the  gloom  of  his  dungeon  he  foresaw  the  triumph  of 
the  true  faith.  Returning  in  his  dreams  to  the  chapel  at 
Prague  where  he  had  preached  the  gospel,  he  saw  the  pope 
and  his  bishops  effacing  the  pictures  of  Christ  which  he  had 
painted  on  its  walls.  "This  vision  distressed  him:  but  on 
the  next  day  he  saw  many  painters  occupied  in  restoring 
these  figures  in  greater  number  and  in  brighter  colors.  As 
soon  as  their  task  was  ended,  the  painters,  who  were  sur- 
rounded by  an  immense  crowd,  exclaimed,  'Now  let  the 
popes  and  bishops  come;  they  shall  never  efface  them 
more!'  "  Said  the  Reformer,  as  he  related  his  dream, 
"I  maintain  this  for  certain,  that  the  image  of  Christ  will 
never  be  effaced.  They  have  wished  to  destroy  it,  but  it  shall 
be  painted  afresh  in  all  hearts  by  much  better  preachers 
than  myself,"* 

For  the  last  time,  Huss  was  brought  before  the  council. 
It  was  a  vast  and  brilliant  assembly, —  the  emperor,  the 
princes  of  the  empire,  the  royal  deputies,  the  cardinals, 
bishops,  and  priests,  and  an  immense  crowd  who  had  come 
as  spectators  of  the  events  of  the  day.  From  all  parts  of 
Christendom  had  been  gathered  the  witnesses  of  this  first 
great  sacrifice  in  the  long  struggle  by  which  liberty  of  con- 
science was  to  be  secured. 

Being  called  upon  for  his  final  decision,  Huss  declared 
his  refusal  to  abjure,  and  fixing  his  penetrating  glance  upon 
the  monarch  whose  plighted  word  had  been  so  shamelessly 
violated,  he  declared,  "I  determined,  of  my  own  free  will, 
to  appear  before  this  council,  under  the  public  protection 
and  faith  of  the  emperor  here  present. "  *  A  deep  flush 
crimsoned  the  face  of  Sigismund  as  the  eyes  of  all  in  the 
assembly  turned  upon  him. 

Sentence  having  been  pronounced,  the  ceremony  of  degra- 
dation began.  The  bishops  clothed  their  prisoner  in  the 
sacerdotal  habit,  and  as  he  took  the  priestly  robe,  he  said, 

*  D  'Aubigne,  b.  1,  ch.  6.  '  Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  p.  84. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  109 

"Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  covered  with  a  white  robe,  by- 
way of  insult,  when  Herod  had  Him  conducted  before 
Pilate. ' ' '  Being  again  exhorted  to  retract,  he  replied,  turn- 
ing toward  the  people:  "With  what  face,  then,  should  I 
behold  the  heavens?  How  should  I  look  on  those  multitudes 
of  men  to  whom  I  have  preached  the  pure  gospel?  No; 
I  esteem  their  salvation  more  than  this  poor  body,  now  ap- 
pointed unto  death."  The  vestments  were  removed  one  by 
one,  each  bishop  pronouncing  a  curse  as  he  performed  his 
part  of  the  ceremony.  Finally  "they  put  on  his  head  a  cap 
or  pyramidal-shaped  mitre  of  paper,  on  which  were  painted 
frightful  figures  of  demons,  with  the  word  'Arch-Heretic' 
conspicuous  in  front.  'Most  joyfully,'  said  Huss,  'will  I 
wear  tliis  crown  of  shame  for  Thy  sake,  0  Jesus,  who  for 
me  didst  wear  a  crown  of  thorns.'  " 

When  he  was  thus  arrayed,  "the  prelates  said,  'Now  we 
devote  thy  soul  to  the  devil.'  'And  I,'  said  John  Huss,  lift- 
ing up  his  eyes  toward  heaven,  'do  commit  my  spirit  into 
Thy  hands,  0  Lord  Jesus,  for  Thou  hast  redeemed  me.'"' 

He  was  now  delivered  up  to  the  secular  authorities,  and 
led  away  to  the  place  of  execution.  An  immense  proces- 
sion followed,  hundreds  of  men  at  arms,  priests  and  bishops 
in  their  costly  robes,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Constance. 
When  he  had  been  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  all  was  ready 
for  the  fire  to  be  lighted,  the  martyr  was  once  more  exhorted 
to  save  himself  by  renouncing  his  errors.  "What  errors," 
said  Huss,  "shall  I  renounce?  I  know  myself  guilty  of 
none.  I  call  God  to  witness  that  all  that  I  have  written 
and  preached  has  been  with  the  view  of  rescuing  souls  from 
sin  and  perdition ;  and,  therefore,  most  joyfully  will  I 
confirm  with  my  blood  that  truth  which  I  have  written 
and  preached. ' ' "  When  the  flames  kindled  about  him,  he 
began  to  sing,  "Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me,"  and  so  continued  till  his  voice  was  silenced  forever. 

Even  his  enemies  were  struck  with  his  heroic  bearing. 
A  zealous  papist,  describing  the  martyrdom  of  Huss,  and  of 
»Bonneehose,  Vol.  II,  p.  86,  "Wylie,  b.  3,  ct.  7. 


no  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Jerome,  who  died  soon  after,  said:  "Both  bore  themselves 
with  constant  mind  when  their  last  hour  approached.  They 
prepared  for  the  fire  as  if  they  were  going  to  a  marriage 
feast.  They  uttered  no  cry  of  pain.  "When  the  flames  rose, 
they  began  to  sing  hymns;  and  scarce  could  the  vehemency 
of  the  fire  stop  their  singing. ' ' ' 

"When  the  body  of  Huss  had  been  wholly  consumed,  his 
ashes,  with  the  soil  upon  which  they  rested,  were  gathered  up 
and  cast  into  the  Rhine,  and  thus  borne  onward  to  the  ocean. 
His  persecutors  vainly  imagined  that  they  had  rooted  out 
the  truths  he  preached.  Little  did  they  dream  that  the  ashes 
that  day  borne  away  to  the  sea  were  to  be  as  seed  scattered 
in  all  the  countries  of  the  earth;  that  in  lands  yet  unknown 
it  would  yield  abundant  fruit  in  witnesses  for  the  truth. 
The  voice  which  had  spoken  in  the  council  hall  of  Constance 
had  wakened  echoes  that  would  be  heard  through  all  coming 
ages.  Huss  was  no  more,  but  the  truths  for  which  he  died 
could  never  perish.  His  example  of  faith  and  constancy 
would  encourage  multitudes  to  stand  firm  for  the  truth,  in 
the  face  of  torture  and  death.  His  execution  had  exhibited 
to  the  whole  world  the  perfidious  cruelty  of  Rome.  The 
enemies  of  truth,  though  they  knew  it  not,  had  been  further- 
ing the  cause  which  they  vainly  sought  to  destroy. 

Yet  another  stake  was  to  be  set  up  at  Constance.  The 
blood  of  another  witness  must  testify  for  the  truth.  Jerome, 
upon  bidding  farewell  to  Huss  on  his  departure  for  the 
council,  had  exhorted  him  to  courage  and  firmness,  declaring 
that  if  he  should  fall  into  any  peril,  he  himself  would  fly  to 
his  assistance.  Upon  hearing  of  the  Reformer's  imprison- 
ment, the  faithful  disciple  immediately  prepared  to  fulfil  his 
promise.  "Without  a  safe-conduct  he  set  out,  with  a  single 
companion,  for  Constance.  On  arriving  there  he  was  con- 
vinced that  he  had  only  exposed  himself  to  peril,  without 
the  possibility  of  doing  anything  for  the  deliverance  of  Huss. 
He  fled  from  the  city,  but  was  arrested  on  the  homeward 
journey,  and  brought  back  loaded  with  fetters,  and  under 
the  custody  of  a  band  of  soldiers.  At  his  first  appearance 
»Wylie,  b.  3,  cb.  7. 


HUSS  AND   JEROME  Ul 

before  the  council,  his  attempts  to  reply  to  the  accusations 
brought  against  him  were  met  with  shouts,  "To  the  flames 
with  him!  to  the  flames!'"  He  was'throAvn  into  a  dungeon, 
chained  in  a  position  which  caused  him  great  suffering,  and 
fed  on  bread  and  water.  After  some  months  the  cruelties 
of  his  imprisonment  brought  upon  Jerome  an  illness  that 
threatened  his  life,  and  his  enemies,  fearing  that  he  might 
escape  them,  treated  him  with  less  severity,  though  he  re- 
mained in  prison  for  one  year. 

The  death  of  Huss  had  not  resulted  as  the  papists  had 
hoped.  The  violation  of  his  safe-conduct  had  roused  a  storm 
of  indignation,  and  as  the  safer  course,  the  council  deter- 
mined, instead  of  burning  Jerome,  to  force  him,  if  possible, 
to  retract.  He  was  brought  before  the  assembly,  and  offered 
the  alternative  to  recant,  or  to  die  at  the  stake.  Death  at 
the  beginning  of  his  imprisonment  would  have  been  a  mercy, 
in  comparison  with  the  terrible  sufferings  which  he  had 
undergone;  but  now,  weakened  by  illness,  by  the  rigors  of 
his  prison-house,  and  the  torture  of  anxiety  and  suspense, 
separated  from  his  friends,  and  disheartened  by  the  death 
of  Huss,  Jerome's  fortitude  gave  way,  and  he  consented  to 
submit  to  the  council.  He  pledged  himself  to  adhere  to 
the  Catholic  faith,  and  accepted  the  action  of  the  council  in 
condemning  the  doctrines  of  Wycliffe  and  Huss,  excepting, 
however,  the  "holy  truths"  which  they  had  taught.^ 

By  this  expedient  Jerome  endeavored  to  silence  the  voice 
of  conscience  and  escape  his  doom.  But  in  the  solitude  of 
his  dungeon  he  saw  more  clearly  what  he  had  done.  He 
thought  of  the  courage  and  fidelity  of  Huss,  and  in  contrast 
pondered  upon  his  own  denial  of  the  truth.  He  thought  of 
the  divine  Master  whom  he  had  pledged  himself  to  serve, 
and  who  for  his  sake  endured  the  death  of  the  cross.  Before 
his  retraction  he  had  found  comfort,  amid  all  his  sufferings, 
in  the  assurance  of  God's  favor;  but  now  remorse  and  doubt 
tortured  his  soul.  He  knew  that  still  other  retractions  must 
be  made  before  he  could  be  at  peace  with  Rome.  The  path 
upon  which  he  was  entering  could  end  only  in  complete 
*  Bonneehose,  Vol.  I,  p.  234,         '  See  Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  p.  141. 


112  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

apostasy.  His  resolution  was  taken :  to  escape  a  brief  period 
of  suffering  he  would  not  deny  his  Lord. 

Soon  he  was  again  brought  before  the  council.  His  sub- 
mission had  not  satisfied  his  judges.  Their  thirst  for  blood, 
whetted  by  the  death  of  Huss,  clamored  for  fresh  victims. 
Only  by  an  unreserved  surrender  of  the  truth  could  Jerome 
preserve  his  life.  But  he  had  determined  to  avow  his  faith, 
and  follow  his  brother-martyr  to  the  flames. 

He  renounced  his  former  recantation,  and  as  a  dying 
man,  solemnly  required  an  opportunity  to  make  his  defense. 
Fearing  the  effect  of  his  words,  the  prelates  insisted  that  he 
should  merely  affirm  or  deny  the  truth  of  the  charges 
brought  against  him.  Jerome  protested  against  such  cruelty 
and  injustice.  "You  have  held  me  shut  up  three  hundred 
and  forty  days  in  a  frightful  prison,"  he  said,  "in  the 
midst  of  filth,  noisoraeness,  stench,  and  the  utmost  want  of 
everything;  you  then  bring  me  out  before  you,  and  lending 
an  ear  to  my  mortal  enemies,  you  refuse  to  hear  me.  .  .  . 
If  you  be  really  wise  men,  and  the  lights  of  the  world, 
take  care  not  to  sin  against  justice.  As  to  me,  I  am  only 
a  feeble  mortal ;  my  life  is  but  of  little  importance ;  and 
when  I  exhort  you  not  to  deliver  an  unjust  sentence,  I 
speak  less  for  myself  than  for  you. ' ' ' 

His  request  was  finally  granted.  In  the  presence  of  his 
judges,  Jerome  kneeled  down  and  prayed  that  the  divine 
Spirit  might  control  his  thoughts  and  words,  that  he  might 
speak  nothing  contrary  to  the  truth  or  unworthy  of  his 
Master.  To  him  that  day  was  fulfilled  the  promise  of  God 
to  the  first  disciples:  "Ye  shall  be  brought  before  governors 
and  kings  for  My  sake.  .  .  .  But  when  they  deliver  you 
up,  take  no  thought  how  or  what  ye  shall  speak:  for  it 
shall  be  given  you  in  that  same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak. 
For  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father 
which  speaketh  in  you. ' ' ' 

The  words  of  Jerome  excited  astonishment  and  admira- 
tion, even  in  his  enemies.  For  a  whole  year  he  had  been 
immured  in  a  dungeon,  unable  to  read  or  even  to  see,  in 
^Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  pp.  146,  147.  *Matt.    10:18-20. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  113 

great  physical  suffering  and  mental  anxiety.  .Yet  his  argu- 
ments were  presented  with  as  much  clearness  and  power 
as  if  he  had  had  undisturbed  opportunity  for  study.  He 
pointed  his  hearers  to  the  long  line  of  holy  men  who  had 
been  condemned  by  unjust  judges.  In  almost  every  gen- 
eration have  been  those  who,  while  seeking  to  elevate  the 
people  of  their  time,  have  been  reproached  and  cast  out, 
but  who  in  later  times  have  been  shown  to  be  deserving  of 
honor.  Christ  Himself  was  condemned  as  a  malefactor  at 
an  unrighteous  tribunal. 

At  his  retraction,  Jerome  had  assented  to  the  justice  of 
the  sentence  condemning  Huss;  he  now  declared  his  repent- 
ance, and  bore  witness  to  the  innocence  and  holiness  of  the 
martyr.  ''I  knew  him  from  his  childhood,"  he  said.  "He 
was  a  most  excellent  man,  just  and  holy;  he  was  condemned, 
notwithstanding  his  innocence,  ...  I  also  —  I  am  ready 
to  die:  I  will  not  recoil  before  the  torments  that  are  pre- 
pared for  me  by  my  enemies  and  false  witnesses,  who  will 
one  day  have  to  render  an  account  of  their  impostures  be- 
fore the  great  God,  whom  nothing  can  deceive. ' '  * 

In  self-reproach  for  his  own  denial  of  the  truth,  Jerome 
continued:  "Of  all  the  sins  that  I  have  committed  since  my 
youth,  none  weigh  so  heavily  on  my  mind,  and  cause  me 
such  poignant  remorse,  as  that  which  I  committed  in  this 
fatal  place,  when  I  approved  of  the  iniquitous  sentence 
rendered  against  Wycliffe,  and  against  the  holy  martyr, 
John  Huss,  my  master  and  my  friend.  Yes!  I  confess  it 
from  my  heart,  and  declare  with  horror  that  I  disgrace- 
fully quailed  when,  through  a  dread  of  death,  I  con- 
demned their  doctrines.  I  therefore  supplicate  .  .  .  Al- 
mighty God  to  deign  to  pardon  me  my  sins,  and  this  one 
in  particular,  the  most  heinous  of  all."  Pointing  to  his 
judges,  he  said  firmly:  "You  condemned  Wycliffe  and 
John  Huss,  not  for  having  shaken  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  but  simply  because  they  branded  with  reprobation 
the  scandals  proceeding  from  the  clergy, —  their  pomp,  their 
pride,  and  all  the  vices  of  the  prelates  and  priests.  The 
*Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  p,  151. 


114  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

things  which  they  have  affirmed,  and  which  are  irrefutable, 
I  also  think  and  declare,  like  them." 

His  words  were  interrupted.  The  prelates,  trembling 
with  rage,  cried  out,  "What  need  is  there  of  further  proof? 
We  behold  with  our  own  eyes  the  most  obstinate  of  heretics ! ' ' 

Unmoved  by  the  tempest,  Jerome  exclaimed :  ' '  What !  do 
you  suppose  that  I  fear  to  die?  You  have  held  me  for  a 
whole  year  in  a  frightful  dungeon,  more  horrible  than  death 
itself.  You  have  treated  me  more  cruelly  than  a  Turk,  Jew, 
or  pagan,  and  my  flesh  has  literally  rotted  off  my  bones 
alive;  and  yet  I  make  no  complaint,  for  lamentation  ill  be- 
comes a  man  of  heart  and  spirit ;  but  I  cannot  but  express  my 
astonishment  at  such  great  barl)arity  toward  a  Christian. ' '  * 

Again  the  storm  of  rage  burst  out,  and  Jerome  was  hur- 
ried away  to  prison.  Yet  there  were  some  in  the  assembly 
upon  whom  his  words  had  made  a  deep  impression,  and 
who  desired  to  save  his  life.  He  was  visited  by  dignitaries 
of  the  church,  and  urged  to  submit  himself  to  the  council. 
The  most  brilliant  prospects  were  presented  before  him  as 
the  reward  of  renouncing  his  opposition  to  Rome.  But  like 
his  Master,  when  offered  the  glory  of  the  world,  Jerome 
remained  steadfast. 

"Prove  to  me  from  the  Holy  Writings  that  I  am  in 
error,"  he  said,  "and  I  will  abjure  it." 

"The  Holy  Writings!"  exclaimed  one  of  his  tempters, 
"is  everything  then  to  be  judged  by  them?  Who  can  un- 
derstand them  till  the  church  has  interpreted  them?" 

"Are  the  traditions  of  men  more  worthy  of  faith  than 
the  gospel  of  our  Saviour?"  replied  Jerome.  "Paul  did 
not  exhort  those  to  whom  he  wrote  to  listen  to  the  tradi- 
tions of  men,  but  said,  'Search  the  Scriptures,'  " 

* '  Heretic  ! ' '  was  the  response,  ' '  I  repent  having  pleaded 
so  long  with  you.  I  see  that  you  are  urged  on  by  the 
devil."' 

Erelong  sentence  of  condemnation  was  passed  upon  him. 
He  was  led  out  to  the  same  spot  upon  which  Huss  had 
yielded  up  his  life.     He  went  singing  on  his  way,  his  coun- 
»Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  pp.  151-153.  »Wylie,  b.  3,  ch.  10. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  115 

tenanee  lighted  up  with  joy  and  peace.  His  gaze  was  fixed 
upon  Christ,  and  to  him  death  had  lost  its  terrors.  When 
the  executioner,  about  to  kindle  the  pile,  stepped  behind 
bim,  the  martyr  exclaimed,  "Come  forward  boldly;  apply 
the  fire  before  my  face.  Had  I  been  afraid,  I  sliould  not 
be  here." 

His  last  words,  uttered  as  the  flames  rose  about  him,  were 
a  prayer.  "Lord,  Almighty  Father,"  he  cried,  "have  pity 
on  me,  and  pardon  me  my  sins;  for  Thou  knowest  that  I 
have  always  loved  Thy  truth."'  His  voice  ceased,  but  his 
lips  continued  to  move  in  prayer.  When  the  fire  had  done 
its  work,  the  ashes  of  the  martyr,  with  the  earth  upon  which 
they  rested,  were  gathered  up,  and  like  those  of  Huss,  were 
thrown  into  the  Rhine. 

So  perished  God's  faithful  light-bearers.  But  the  light 
of  the  truths  which  they  proclaimed, —  the  liglit  of  their 
heroic  example, —  could  not  be  extinguished.  As  well  might 
men  attempt  to  turn  back  the  sun  in  its  course  as  to  pre- 
vent the  dawning  of  that  day  which  was  even  then  break- 
ing upon  the  world. 

The  execution  of  Huss  had  kindled  a  flame  of  indigna- 
tion and  horror  in  Bohemia.  It  was  felt  by  the  whole  nation 
that  he  had  fallen  a  prey  to  the  malice  of  the  priests  and 
the  treachery  of  the  emperor.  He  was  declared  to  have  been 
a  faithful  teacher  of  the  truth,  and  the  council  that  decreed 
his  death  was  charged  with  the  guilt  of  murder.  His  doc- 
trines now  attracted  greater  attention  than  ever  before.  By 
the  papal  edicts  the  writings  of  Wycliffe  had  been  con- 
demned to  the  flames.  But  those  that  had  escaped  destruc- 
tion were  now  brought  out  from  their  hiding-places,  and 
studied  in  connection  with  the  Bible,  or  such  parts  of  it  as 
the  people  could  obtain,  and  many  were  thus  led  to  accept 
the  reformed  faith. 

The  murderers  of  Huss  did  not  stand  quietly  by  and  wit- 
ness the  triumph  of  his  cause.  The  pope  and  the  emperor 
united  to  crush  out  the  movement,  and  the  armies  of  Sigis- 
mund  were  hurled  upon  Bohemia. 

*  Bonnechose,  Vol.  II,  p.  168. 


116  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

But  a  deliverer  was  raised  up.  Ziska,  who  soon  after  the 
opening  of  the  war  became  totally  blind,  yet  who  was  on^ 
of  the  ablest  generals  of  his  age,  was  the  leader  of  the 
Bohemians.  Trusting  in  the  help  of  God  and  the  right- 
eousness of  their  cause,  that  people  withstood  the  mightiest 
armies  that  could  be  brought  against  them.  Again  and 
again  the  emperor,  raising  fresh  armies,  invaded  Bohemia, 
only  to  be  ignominiously  repulsed.  The  Hussites  were  raised 
above  the  fear  of  death,  and  nothing  could  stand  against 
them.  A  few  years  after  tlie  opening  of  the  war,  the  brave 
Ziska  died;  but  his  place  was  filled  by  Procopius,  who  was 
an  equally  brave  and  skilful  general,  and  in  some  respects 
a  more  able  leader. 

The  enemies  of  the  Bohemians,  knowing  that  the  blind 
warrior  was  dead,  deemed  the  opportunity  favorable  for 
recovering  all  that  they  had  lost.  The  pope  now  proclaimed 
a  crusade  against  the  Hussites,  and  again  an  immense  force 
was  precipitated  upon  Bohemia,  but  only  to  suffer  terrible 
defeat.  Another  crusade  was  proclaimed.  In  all  the  papal 
countries  of  Europe,  men,  money,  and  munitions  of  war 
were  raised.  Multitudes  flocked  to  the  papal  standard, 
assured  that  at  last  an  end  would  be  made  of  the  Hussite 
heretics.  Confident  of  victory,  the  vast  force  entered  Bohe- 
mia. The  i)eople  rallied  to  repel  them.  The  two  armies 
approached  each  other,  until  only  a  river  lay  between  them. 
"The  crusaders  were  in  greatly  superior  force,  but  in- 
stead of  dashing  across  the  stream,  and  closing  in  battle 
wdth  the  Hussites  whom  they  had  come  so  far  to  meet,  they 
stood  gazing  in  silence  at  those  warriors. ' ' '  Then  suddenly 
a  mysterious  terror  fell  upon  the  host.  Without  striking  a 
blow,  that  mighty  force  broke  and  scattered,  as  if  dispelled 
by  an  unseen  power.  Great  numbers  were  slaughtered  by 
the  Hussite  army,  which  pursued  the  fugitives,  and  an  im- 
mense booty  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors,  so  that  the 
war,  instead  of  impoverishing,  enriched  the  Bohemians. 

A  few  years  later,  under  a  new  pope,  still  another  cru- 
sade was  set  on  foot.  As  before,  men  and  means  were  drawn 
»Wylie,  b.  3,  ch.  17. 


HUSS  AND  JEROME  117 

from  all  the  papal  countries  of  Europe.  Great  were  the  in- 
ducements held  out  to  those  who  should  engage  in  this  per- 
ilous enterprise.  Full  forgiveness  of  the  most  heinous  crimes 
was  insured  to  every  crusader.  All  who  died  in  the  war 
were  promised  a  rich  reward  in  heaven,  and  those  who  sur- 
vived were  to  reap  honor  and  riches  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Again  a  vast  army  was  collected,  and  crossing  the  frontier 
they  entered  Bohemia.  The  Hussite  forces  fell  back  before 
them,  thus  drawing  the  invaders  fartlij^  and  farther  into 
the  country,  and  leading  them  to  count  the  victory  already 
won.  At  last  the  army  of  Procopius  made  a  stand,  and 
turning  upon  the  foe,  advanced  to  give  them  battle.  The 
crusaders,  now  discovering  their  mistake,  lay  in  their  en- 
campment awaiting  the  onset.  As  the  sound  of  the  approach- 
ing force  was  heard,  even  before  the  Hussites  were  in  sight, 
a  panic  again  fell  upon  the  crusaders.  Princes,  generals, 
and  common  soldiers,  casting  away  their  armor,  fled  in  all 
directions.  In  vain  the  papal  legate,  who  was  the  leader 
of  the  invasion,  endeavored  to  rally  his  terrified  and  dis- 
organized forces.  Despite  his  utmost  endeavors,  he  himself 
was  swept  along  in  the  tide  of  fugitives.  The  rout  was 
complete,  and  again  an  immense  booty  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  victors. 

Thus  the  second  time  a  vast  army,  sent  forth  by  the  most 
powerful  nations  of  Europe,  a  host  of  brave,  warlike  men, 
trained  and  equipped  for  battle,  fled  without  a  blow,  before 
the  defenders  of  a  small  and  hitherto  feeble  nation.  Here 
was  a  manifestation  of  divine  power.  The  invaders  were 
smitten  with  a  supernatural  terror.  He  who  overthrew  the 
hosts  of  Pharaoh  in  the  Red  Sea,  who  put  to  flight  the 
armies  of  Midian  before  Gideon  and  his  three  hundred,  who 
in  one  night  laid  low  the  forces  of  the  proud  Assyrian,  had 
again  stretched  out  His  hand  to  wither  the  power  of  the 
oppressor.  "There  were  they  in  great  fear,  where  no  fear 
was:  for  God  hath  scattered  the  bones  of  him  that  encamp- 
eth  against  thee:  thou  hast  put  them  to  shame,  because  God 
hath  despised  them. ' ' ' 

'Ps.  53:5. 


118  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  papal  leaders,  despairing  of  conquering  by  force,  at 
last  resorted  to  diplomacy.  A  compromise  was  entered  into, 
that  while  professing  to  grant  to  the  Bohemians  freedom  of 
conscience,  really  betrayed  them  into  the  power  of  Rome. 
The  Bohemians  had  specified  four  points  as  the  condition  of 
peace  with  Rome :  The  free  preaching  of  the  Bible ;  the  right 
of  the  whole  church  to  both  the  bread  and  the  wine  in  the 
communion,  and  the  use  of  the  mother  tongue  in  divine 
worship ;  the  exchttlon  of  the  clergy  from  all  secular  offices 
and  authority;  and  in  cases  of  crime,  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
civil  courts  over  clergy  and  laity  alike.  The  papal  author- 
ities at  last  "agreed  that  the  four  articles  of  the  Hussites 
should  be  accepted,  but  that  the  right  of  explaining  them, 
that  is,  of  determining  their  precise  import,  should  belong 
to  the  council  —  in  other  words,  to  the  pope  and  the  em- 
peror. "*  On  this  basis  a  treaty  was  entered  into,  and 
Rome  gained  by  dissimulation  and  fraud  what  she  had 
failed  to  gain  by  conflict ;  for,  placing  her  own  interpre- 
tation upon  the  Hussite  articles,  as  upon  the  Bible,  she 
could  pervert  their  meaning  to  suit  her  own  purposes. 

A  large  class  in  Bohemia,  seeing  that  it  betrayed  their 
liberties,  could  not  consent  to  the  compact.  Dissensions  and 
divisions  arose,  leading  to  strife  and  bloodshed  among  them- 
selves. In  this  strife  the  noble  Procopius  fell,  and  the  lib- 
erties of  Bohemia  perished. 

Sigismund,  the  betrayer  of  Huss  and  Jerome,  now  became 
king  of  Bohemia,  and  regardless  of  his  oath  to  support  the 
rights  of  the  Bohemians,  he  proceeded  to  establish  popery. 
But  he  had  gained  little  by  his  subservience  to  Rome.  Foi 
twenty  years  his  life  had  been  filled  with  labors  and  perils. 
His  armies  had  been  wasted  and  his  treasuries  drained  by 
a  long  and  fruitless  struggle;  and  now,  after  reigning  one 
year,  he  died,  leaving  his  kingdom  on  the  brink  of  civil  war, 
and  bequeathing  to  posterity  a  name  branded  with  infamy. 

Tumults,  strife,  and  bloodshed  were  protracted.  Again 
foreign  armies  invaded  Bohemia,  and  internal  dissension 
^Wylie,  b.  3,  ch.  18. 


HUSS  AXD  JEHCME  119 

continued  to  distract  the  nation.  Those  who  remained 
faithful  to  the  gospel  were  subjected  to  a  bloody  persecution. 

As  their  former  bretliren,  entering  into  compact  with 
Rome,  imbibed  her  errors,  those  who  adhered  to  the  an- 
cient faith  had  formed  themselves  into  a  distinct  church, 
taking  the  name  of  "United  Brethren."  This  act  drew 
upon  them  maledictions  from  all  classes.  Yet  their  firm- 
ness was  unshaken.  Forced  to  find  refuge  in  the  woods 
and  caves,  they  still  assembled  to  read  God's  word  and  unite 
in  His  worship. 

Through  messengers  secretly  sent  out  into  different  coun- 
tries, they  learned  that  here  and  there  were  "isolated  con- 
fessors of  the  truth,  a  few  in  this  city  and  a  few  in  that, 
the  object,  like  themselves,  of  persecution ;  and  that  amid 
the  mountains  of  the  Alps  was  an  ancient  church,  resting 
on  the  foundations  of  Scripture,  and  protesting  against  the 
idolatrous  corruptions  of  Rome. ' '  *  This  intelligence  was 
received  with  great  joy,  and  a  correspondence  was  opened 
with  the  Waldensian  Christians. 

Steadfast  to  the  gospel,  the  Bohemians  waited  through 
the  night  of  their  persecution,  in  the  darkest  hour  still 
turning  their  eyes  toward  the  horizon  like  men  who  watch 
for  the  morning.  "Their  lot  was  cast  in  evil  days,  but 
.  .  .  they  remembered  the  words  first  uttered  by  IIuss,  and 
repeated  by  Jerome,  that  a  century  must  revolve  before  the 
day  should  break.  These  were  to  the  Taborites  [Hussites] 
what  the  words  of  Joseph  were  to  the  tribes  in  the  house  of 
bondage:  'I  die,  and  God  will  surely  visit  you,  and  bring 
you  out. '  " '  "  The  closing  period  of  the  fifteenth  century 
witnessed  the  slow  but  sure  increase  of  the  churches  of  the 
Brethren.  Although  far  from  being  unmolested,  they  yet 
enjoyed  comparative  rest.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  their  churches  numbered  two  hundred  in 
Bohemia  and  Moravia."'  "So  goodly  was  the  remnant 
which,  escaping  the  destructive  fury  of  fire  and  sword,  was 
permitted  to  see  the  dawning  of  that  day  which  Huss  had 
foretold."' 

'  Wylie,  b.  3,  oh.  19. 
-Oillett,  "Life  and   Times  of  .lohn  Huss"   (3d  ed.-),  Vol.  II.  p.  570. 


<4^^ii!&mmmm^H^^m<^j^v^mtp.  t-^, 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION    FROM   ROME -7 

Foremost  among  those  who  were  called  to  lead  the 
church  from  the  darkness  of  popery  into  the  light  of  a 
purer  faith,  stood  IMartin  Luther.  Zealous,  ardent,  and 
devoted,  knowing  no  fear  hut  the  fear  of  God,  and  acknowl- 
edging no  foundation  for  religious  faith  but  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  Luther  was  the  man  for  his  time:  through  him, 
God  accomplished  a  great  work  for  the  reformation  of  the 
church  and  the  enlightenment  of  the  world. 

Like  the  first  heralds  of  the  gospel,  Luther  sprung  from 
the  ranks  of  poverty.  His  early  years  were  spent  in  the 
humble  home  of  a  German  peasant.  By  daily  toil  as  a 
miner,  his  father  earned  the  means  for  his  education.  He 
intended  him  for  a  lawyer;  but  God  purposed  to  make  him 
a  builder  in  the  great  temple  that  was  rising  so  slowly 
through  the  centuries.  Hardship,  privation,  and  severe 
discipline  were  the  school  in  which  Infinite  "Wisdom  pre- 
pared Luther  for  the  important  mission  of  his  life. 

Luther's  father  w^as  a  man«  of  strong  and  active  mind 
and  great  force  of  character,  honest,  resolute,  and  straight- 
forward. He  w^as  true  to  his  convictions  of  duty,  let  the 
consequences  be  what  they  might.  His  sterling  good  sense 
led  him  to  regard  the  monastic  system  w^ith  distrust.  He 
was  highly  displeased  when  Luther,  without  his  consent, 
entered  a  monastery ;  and  it  was  two  years  before  the  father 
was  reconciled  to  his  son,  and  even  then  his  opinions  rs' 
mained  the  same. 
(120) 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  EROM  ROME  121 

Luther's  parents  bestowed  great  care  upon  the  education 
and  training  of  their  children.  They  endeavored  to  instruct 
them  in  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  practice  of  Christian 
virtues.  The  father's  prayer  often  ascended  in  the  hearing 
of  his  son,  that  the  child  might  remember  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  one  day  aid  in  the  advancement  of  His  truth. 
Every  advantage  for  moral  or  intellectual  culture  which 
their  life  of  toil  permitted  them  to  enjoy,  was  eagerly  im- 
proved by  these  parents.  Their  efforts  were  earnest  and 
persevering  to  prepare  their  children  for  a  life  of  piety  and 
usefulness.  With  their  firmness  and  strength  of  character 
they  sometimes  exercised  too  great  severity;  but  the  Re- 
former himself,  though  conscious  that  in  some  respects  they 
had  erred,  found  in  their  discipline  more  to  approve  than 
to  condemn. 

At  school,  where  he  was  sent  at  an  early  age,  Luther  was 
treated  with  harshness  and  even  violence.  So  great  was  the 
poverty  of  his  parents,  that  upon  going  from  home  to  school 
in  another  town  he  was  for  a  time  obliged  to  obtain  his  food 
by  singing  from  door  to  door,  and  he  often  suffered  from 
hunger.  The  gloomy,  superstitious  ideas  of  religion  then 
prevailing  filled  him  with  fear.  He  would  lie  down  at 
night  with  a  sorrowful  heart,  looking  forward  with  trem- 
bling to  the  dark  future,  and  in  constant  terror  at  the 
thought  of  God  as  a  stern,  unrelenting  judge,  a  cruel  tyrant, 
rather  than  a  kind  heavenly  Father. 

Yet  under  so  many  and  so  great  discouragements,  Luther 
pressed  resolutely  forward  toward  the  high  standard  of 
moral  and  intellectual  excellence  which  attracted  his  soul. 
He  thirsted  for  knowledge,  and  the  earnest  and  practical 
character  of  his  mind  led  him  to  desire  the  solid  and  use- 
ful rather  than  the  showy  and  superficial. 

When,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  entered  the  University 
of  Erfurt,  his  situation  was  more  favorable  and  his  pros- 
pects were  brighter  than  in  his  earlier  years.  His  parents 
having  by  thrift  and  industry  acquired  a  competence,  they 
were  able  to  render  him  all  needed   assistance.     And  the 


122  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

influence  of  judicious  friends  had  somewhat  lessened  the 
gloomy  effects  of  his  former  training.  He  applied  himself 
to  the  study  of  the  best  authors,  diligently  treasuring  their 
most  weighty  thoughts,  and  making  the  wisdom  of  the  wise 
his  own.  Even  under  the  harsh  discipline  of  his  former  in- 
structors, he  had  early  given  promise  of  distinction;  and 
with  favorable  influences  his  mind  rapidly  developed.  A 
retentive  memory,  a  lively  imagination,  strong  reasoning 
powers,  and  untiring  application,  soon  placed  him  in  the 
foremost  rank  among  his  associates.  Intellectual  discipline 
ripened  his  understanding,  and  aroused  an  activity  of  mind 
and  a  keenness  of  perception  that  were  preparing  him  for 
the  conflicts  of  his  life. 

The  fear  of  the  Lord  dwelt  in  the  heart  of  Luther,  ena- 
bling him  to  maintain  his  steadfastness  of  purpose,  and  lead- 
ing him  to  deep  humility  before  God.  He  had  an  abiding 
sense  of  his  dependence  upon  divine  aid,  and  he  did  not 
fail  to  begin  each  day  with  prayer,  while  his  heart  was  con- 
tinually breathing  a  petition  for  guidance  and  support. 
"To  pray  well,"  he  often  said,  "is  the  better  half  of  study.'' ' 

While  one  day  examining  the  books  in  the  library  of  the 
university,  Luther  discovered  a  Latin  Bible.  Such  a  book  he 
had  never  before  seen.  He  was  ignorant  even  of  its  exist- 
ence. He  had  heard  portions  of  the  Gospels  and  Epistles, 
which  were  read  to  the  people  at  public  w'orship,  and  he 
supposed  that  these  were  the  entire  Bible.  Now,  for  the 
first  time,  he  looked  upon  the  whole  of  God's  word.  "With 
mingled  awe  and  wonder  he  turned  the  sacred  pages;  with 
quickened  pulse  and  throbbing  heart  he  read  for  himself  the 
words  of  life,  pausing  now  and  then  to  exclaim,  "0  that 
God  would  give  me  such  a  book  for  myself!"'  Angels 
of  heaven  were  by  his  side,  and  rays  of  light  from  the 
throne  of  God  revealed  the  treasures  of  truth  to  his  under- 
standing. He  had  ever  feared  to  offend  God,  but  now  the 
deep  conviction  of  his  condition  as  a  sinner  took  hold  upon 
him  as  never  before. 

^D'Aubigne,  "History    of  the  Eeformation  of  the  Sixteenth  Cen- 
tury," b.  2,  ch.  2. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  123 

An  earnest  desire  to  be  free  from  sin  and  to  find  peace 
with  God,  led  him  at  last  to  enter  a  cloister,  and  devote  him- 
self to  a  monastic  life.  Here  he  was  required  to  perform  the 
lowest  drudgery,  and  to  beg  from  house  to  house.  He  was 
at  an  age  when  respect  and  appreciation  are  most  eagerly 
craved,  and  these  menial  offices  were  deeply  mortifying  to 
his  natural  feelings;  but  he  patiently  endured  this  humilia- 
tion, believing  that  it  was  necessary  because  of  his  sins. 

Every  moment  that  could  be  spared  from  his  daily  duties 
he  employed  in  study,  robbing  himself  of  sleep,  and  grudg- 
ing even  the  time  spent  at  his  scanty  meals.  Above  every- 
thing else  he  delighted  in  the  study  of  God's  word.  He 
had  found  a  Bible  chained  to  the  convent  wall,  and  to  this 
he  often  repaired.  As  his  convictions  of  sin  deepened,  he 
sought  by  his  own  works  to  obtain  jjardon  and  peace.  He 
led  a  most  rigorous  life,  endeavoring  by  fasting,  vigils,  and 
scourgings  to  subdue  the  evils  of  his  nature,  from  which 
the  monastic  life  had  brought  no  release.  He  shrank  from 
no  sacrifice  by  which  he  might  attain  to  that  purity  of  heart 
which  would  enable  him  to  stand  approved  before  God.  "I 
was  indeed  a  pious  monk,"  he  afterward  said,  *'and  fol- 
lowed the  rules  of  my  order  more  strictly  than  I  can  ex- 
press. If  ever  monk  could  obtain  heaven  by  his  monkish 
works,  I  should  certainly  have  been  entitled  to  it.  .  .  .  If  it 
had  continued  much  longer,  I  should  have  carried  my  mor- 
tifications even  to  death. ' "  As  the  result  of  this  painful  dis- 
cipline, he  lost  strength,  and  suffered  from  fainting  spasms, 
from  the  effects  of  which  he  never  fully  recovered.  But 
M'ith  all  his  efforts,  his  burdened  soul  found  no  relief.  He 
was  at  last  driven  to  the  verge  of  despair. 

"When  it  appeared  to  Luther  that  all  M-as  lost,  God  raised 
up  a  friend  and  helper  for  him.  The  pious  Staupitz  opened 
the  word  of  God  to  Luther's  mind,  and  bade  liim  look  away 
from  himself,  cease  the  contemplation  of  infinite  punishment 
for  the  violation  of  God's  law,  and  look  to  Jesus,  his  sin- 
pardoning  Saviour.  "Instead  of  torturing  yourself  on 
account  of  your  sins,  throw  yourself  into  the  Redeemer's 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  2,  ch.  3. 


124  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

arms.  Trust  in  Him,  in  the  righteousness  of  His  life,  in 
the  atonement  of  His  death.  .  .  .  Listen  to  the  Son  of  God. 
He  became  man  to  give  you  the  assurance  of  divine  favor." 
■'Love  Him  who  first  loved  you."*  Thus  spoke  this  mes- 
senger of  mercy.  His  words  made  a  deep  impression  upon 
Luther's  mind.  After  many  a  struggle  with  long-cherished 
errors,  he  was  enabled  to  grasp  the  truth,  and  peace  came 
to  his  troubled  soul. 

Luther  was  ordained  a  priest,  and  was  called  from  the 
cloister  to  a  professorship  in  the  University  of  Wittenberg. 
Here  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  in 
the  original  tongues.  He  began  to  lecture  upon  the  Bible; 
and  the  book  of  Psalms,  the  Gospels,  and  the  Epistles  were 
opened  to  the  understanding  of  crowds  of  delighted  listeners. 
Staupitz,  his  friend  and  superior,  urged  him  to  ascend  the 
pulpit,  and  preach  the  word  of  God.  Luther  hesitated,  feel- 
ing himself  unworthy  to  speak  to  the  people  in  Christ's 
stead.  It  was  only  after  a  long  struggle  that  he  yielded  to 
the  solicitations  of  his  friends.  Already  he  was  mighty  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  the  grace  of  God  rested  upon  him.  His 
eloquence  captivated  his  hearers,  the  clearness  and  power 
with  which  he  presented  the  truth  convinced  their  under- 
standing, and  his  fervor  touched  their  hearts. 

Luther  was  still  a  true  son  of  the  papal  church,  and  had 
no  thought  that  he  would  ever  be  anything  else.  In-  the 
providence  of  God  he  was  led  to  visit  Some.  He  pursued 
his  journey  on  foot,  lodging  at  the  monasteries  on  the  way. 
At  a  convent  in  Italy  he  was  filled  with  wonder  at  the 
wealth,  magnificence,  and  luxury  that  he  witnessed.  En- 
dowed with  a  princely  revenue,  the  monks  dwelt  in  splendid 
apartments,  attired  themselves  in  the  richest  and  most  costly 
robes,  and  feasted  at  a  sumptuous  table.  With  painful  mis- 
givings Luther  contrasted  this  scene  with  the  self-denial  and 
hardship  of  his  own  life.    His  mind  was  becoming  perplexed. 

At  last  he  beheld  in  the  distance  the  seven-hilled  city. 
With  deep  emotion  he  prostrated  himself  upon  the  earth, 
^D'Aubigne,  b.  2,  ch.  4. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  125 

exclaiming,  *  *  Holy  Rome,  I  salute  thee ! "  *  He  entered  the 
city,  visited  the  churches,  listened  to  the  marvelous  tales 
repeated  by  priests  and  monks,  and  performed  all  the  cere- 
monies required.  Everywhere  he  looked  upon  scenes  that 
filled  him  with  astonishment  and  horror.  He  saw  that 
iniquity  existed  among  all  classes  of  the  clergy.  He  heard 
indecent  jokes  from  prelates,  and  was  filled  with  horror  at 
their  awful  profanity,  even  during  mass.  As  he  mingled 
with  the  monks  and  citizens,  he  met  dissipation,  debauchery. 
Turn  where  he  would,  in  the  place  of  sanctity  he  found  prof- 
anation. "No  one  can  imagine,"  he  wrote,  "what  sins  and 
infamous  actions  are  conunitted  in  Rome;  they  must  be  seen 
and  heard  to  be  believed.  Thus  they  are  in  the  habit  of 
saying,  'If  there  is  a  hell,  Rome  is  built  over  it:  it  is  an 
abyss  whence  issues  every  kind  of  sin. '  " ' 

By  a  recent  decretal,  an  indulgence  had  been  promised 
by  the  pope  to  all  who  should  ascend  upon  their  knees 
"Pilate's  staircase,"  said  to  have  been  descended  by  our 
Saviour  on  leaving  the  Roman  judgment  hall,  and  to  have 
])een  miraculously  conveyed  from  Jerusalem  to  Rome. 
Luther  was  one  day  devoutly  climbing  these  steps,  when 
suddenly  a  voice  like  thunder  seemed  to  say  to  him,  "The 
just  shall  live  by  faith.  "^  He  sprung  to  his  feet,  and 
hastened  from  the  place  in  shame  and  horror.  That  text 
never  lost  its  power  upon  his  soul.  From  that  time  he  saw 
more  clearly  than  ever  before  the  fallacy  of  trusting  to 
human  works  for  salvation,  and  the  necessity  of  constant 
faith  in  the  merits  of  Christ.  His  eyes  had  been  opened, 
and  were  never  again  to  be  closed,  to  the  delusions  of  the 
papacy.  When  he  turned  his  face  from  Rome,  he  had 
turned  away  also  in  heart,  and  from  that  time  the  separa- 
tion grew  wider,  until  he  severed  all  connection  with  the 
papal  church. 

After  his  return  from  Rome,  Luther  received  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Wittenberg  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  Now 
he  was  at  liberty  to  devote  himself,  as  never  before,  to  the 
»D'Aubigiid,  b.  2,  ch.  6.  "Rom.  1:17. 


126  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Scriptures  that  he  loved.  He  had  taken  a  solemn  vow  to 
study  carefully  and  to  preach  with  fidelity  the  word  of  God, 
not  the  sayings  and  doctrines  of  the  popes,  all  the  days  of 
his  life.  He  was  no  longer  the  mere  monk  or  professor,  but 
the  authorized  herald  of  the  Bible.  He  had  been  called  as 
a  shepherd  to  feed  the  flock  of  God,  that  were  hungering 
and  thirsting  for  the  truth.  He  firmly  declared  that  Chris- 
tians should  receive  no  other  doctrines  than  those  which 
rest  on  the  authority  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  These  words 
struck  at  the  very  foundation  of  papal  supremacy.  They 
contained  the  vital  principle  of  the   Reformation. 

Luther  saw  the  danger  of  exalting  human  theories  above 
the  word  of  God.  He  fearlessly  attacked  the  speculative 
infidelity  of  the  schoolmen,  and  opposed  the  philosophy  and 
theology  which  had  so  long  held  a  controlling  influence 
upon  the  people.  He  denounced  such  studies  as  not  only 
worthless  but  pernicious,  and  sought  to  turn  the  minds  of 
his  hearers  from  the  sophistries  of  philosophers  and  theolo- 
gians to  the  eternal  truths  set  forth  by  prophets  and  apostles. 

Precious  was  the  message  which  he  bore  to  the  eager 
crowds  that  hung  upon  his  words.  Never  before  had  such 
teachings  fallen  upon  their  ears.  The  glad  tidings  of  a 
Saviour's  love,  the  assurance  of  pardon  and  peace  through 
His  atoning  blood,  rejoiced  their  hearts,  and  inspired  within 
them  an  immortal  hope.  At  Wittenberg  a  light  was  kin- 
dled whose  rays  should  extend  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  which  was  to  increase  in  briglitness  to  the  close 
of  time. 

But  light  and  darkness  cannot  harmonize.  Between 
truth  and  error  there  is  an  irrepressible  conflict.  To  up- 
hold and  defend  the  one  is  to  attack  and  overthrow  the 
other.  Our  Saviour  Himself  declared,  "I  came  not  to  send 
peace,  but  a  sword."*  Said  Luther,  a  few  years  after  the 
opening  of  the  Reformation:  ''God  does  not  guide  me,  He 
pushes  me  forward.  He  carries  me  away.  I  am  not  master 
of  myself.  I  desire  to  live  in  repose;  but  I  am  thrown  into 
»Matt.  10:34. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  127 

the  midst  of  tumults  and  revolutions. ' '  ^  He  was  now  about 
to  be  urged  into  the  contest. 

The  Roman  Church  had  made  merchandise  of  the  grace 
of  God.  The  tables  of  the  money-changers  ^  were  set  up 
beside  her  altars,  and  the  air  resounded  with  the  shouts 
of  buyers  and  sellers.  Under  the  plea  of  raising  funds  for 
the  erection  of  St.  Peter's  church  at  Rome,  indulgences  for 
sin  were  publicly  offered  for  sale  by  the  authority  of  the 
pope.  By  the  price  of  crime  a  temple  was  to  be  built  up 
for  God's  worship, —  the  corner-stone  laid  with  the  wages 
of  iniquity!  But  the  very  means  adopted  for  Rome's  ag- 
grandizement provoked  the  deadliest  blow  to  her  power 
and  greatness.  It  was  this  that  aroused  the  most  deter- 
mined and  successful  of  the  enemies  of  popery,  and  led  to 
the  battle  which  shook  the  papal  throne,  and  jostled  the 
triple  crown  upon  the  pontiff's  head. 

The  official  appointed  to  conduct  the  sale  of  indulgences 
in  Germany  —  Tetzel  by  name  —  had  been  convicted  of  the 
basest  offenses  against  society  and  against  the  law  of  God; 
but  having  escaped  the  punishment  due  to  his  crimes,  he 
was  employed  to  further  the  mercenary  and  unscrupulous 
projects  of  the  pope.  With  great  effrontery  he  repeated  the 
most  glaring  falsehoods,  and  related  marvelous  tales  to  de- 
ceive an  ignorant,  credulous,  and  superstitious  people.  Had 
they  possessed  the  word  of  God,  they  would  not  have  been 
thus  deceived.  It  was  to  keep  them  under  the  control 
of  the  papacy,  in  order  to  swell  the  power  and  wealth  of 
her  ambitious  leaders,  that  the  Bible  had  been  withheld 
from  them.* 

As  Tetzel  entered  a  town,  a  messenger  went  before  him, 
announcing,  "The  grace  of  God  and  of  the  holy  father  is  at 
your  gates."*  And  the  people  welcomed  the  blasphemous 
pretender  as  if  he  were  God  Himself  come  down  from 
heaven  to  them.  The  infamous  traffic  was  set  up  in  the 
church,    and   Tetzel,    ascending   the    pulpit,    extolled   indul- 

^D'Aubigne,  b.  5,  ch.  2.  ^'Matt.  21:12. 

*  See  Gieseler,  ' '  Ecclesiastical  History, ' '  Period  IV,  sec.  1,  par.  5. 

*D'Aubign6,  b.  3,  ch.  1. 


128  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

gences  as  the  most  precious  gift  of  God.  He  declared  that 
by  virtue  of  his  certificates  of  pardon,  all  the  sins  which  the 
purchaser  should  afterward  desire  to  commit  would  be  for- 
given him,  and  that  "not  even  repentance  is  necessary.'" 
More  than  this,  he  assured  his  hearers  that  the  indulgences 
had  power  to  save  not  only  the  living  but  the  dead;  that 
the  very  moment  the  money  should  clink  against  the  bottom 
of  his  chest,  the  soul  in  whose  behalf  it  had  been  paid  would 
escape  from  purgatory  and  make  its  way  to  heaven.'' 

When  Simon  Magus  offered  to  purchase  of  the  apostles 
the  power  to  work  miracles,  Peter  answered  him,  "Thy 
money  perish  with  thee,  because  thou  hast  thought  that  the 
gift  of  God  may  be  purchased  with  money. ' '  *  But  Tetzel  's 
offer  was  grasped  by  eager  thousands.  Gold  and  silver 
flowed  into  his  treasury.  A  salvation  that  could  be  bought 
with  money  was  more  easily  obtained  than  that  which  re- 
quires repentance,  faith,  and  diligent  effort  to  resist  and 
overcome  sin.* 

The  doctrine  of  indulgences  liad  been  opposed  by  men  of 
learning  and  piety  in  the  Roman  Chureli,  and  there  were 
many  who  had  no  faith  in  pretensions  so  contrary  to  both 
reason  and  revelation.  No  prelate  dared  lift  his  voice 
against  this  iniquitous  traffic;  but  the  minds  of  men  were 
becoming  disturbed  and  uneasy,  and  many  eagerly  inquired 
if  God  would  not  work  through  some  instrumentality  for 
the  purification  of  His  church. 

Luther,  though  still  a  papist  of  the  straitest  sort,  was 
filled  with  horror  at  the  blasphemous  assumptions  of  the 
indulgence  mongers.  Many  of  his  own  congregation  had 
purchased  certificates  of  pardon,  and  they  soon  began  to 
come  to  their  pastor,  confessing  their  various  sins,  and  ex- 
pecting absolution,  not  because  they  were  penitent  and 
wished  to  reform,  but  on  the  ground  of  the  indulgence. 
Luther    refused    them    absolution,    and    warned    them    that 

» D  'Aubigne,  b.  3,  ch.  1. 
'  See  Hagenbach,  '  *  History  of  the  Keformation, ' '  Vol.  I,  p.  96. 
«  Acta  8:20.  *  See  Appendix. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  129 

unless  they  should  repent  and  reform  their  lives,  they  must 
perish  in  their  sins.  In  great  perplexity  they  repaired  to 
Tetzel  with  the  complaint  that  their  confessor  had  refused 
his  certificates;  and  some  boldly  demanded  that  their  money 
be  returned  to  them.  The  friar  was  filled  with  rage.  He 
uttered  the  most  terrible  curses,  caused  fires  to  be  lighted 
in  the  public  squares,  and  declared  that  he  "had  received 
an  order  from  the  pope  to  burn  all  heretics  who  presumed 
to  oppose  his  most  holy  indulgences. "  ^ 

Luther  now  entered  boldly  upon  his  work  as  a  champion 
of  the  truth.  His  voice  was  heard  from  the  pulpit  in 
earnest,  solemn  warning.  He  set  before  the  people  the 
offensive  character  of  sin,  and  taught  them  that  it  is 
impossible  for  man,  by  his  own  works,  to  lessen  its  guilt  or 
evade  its  punishment.  Nothing  but  repentance  toward  God 
and  faith  in  Christ  can  save  the  sinner.  The  grace  of 
Christ  cannot  be  purchased;  it  is  a  free  gift.  He  counseled 
the  people  not  to  buy  indulgences,  but  to  look  in  faith 
to  a  crucified  Redeemer.  He  related  his  own  painful  ex- 
j)erienee  in  vainly  seeking  by  humiliation  and  penance  to 
secure  salvation,  and  assured  his  hearers  that  it  was  by 
looking  away  from  himself  and  believing  in  Christ  that  he 
found  peace  and  joy. 

As  Tetzel  continued  his  traffic  and  his  impious  preten- 
sions, Luther  determined  upon  a  more  effectual  protest 
against  these  crying  abuses.  An  occasion  soon  offered.  The 
castle  church  of  Wittenberg  possessed  many  relics,  which  on 
certain  holy  days  were  exhibited  to  the  people,  and  full 
remission  of  sins  was  granted  to  all  who  then  visited  the 
church  and  made  confession.  Accordingly  on  these  days 
the  people  in  great  numbers  resorted  thither.  One  of  the 
most  important  of  these  occasions,  the  festival  of  "All 
Saints,"  was  approaching.  On  the  preceding  day,  Luther, 
joining  the  crowds  that  were  already  making  their  way  to 
the  church,  posted  on  its  door  a  paper  containing  ninety- 
five  propositions  against  the  doctrine  of  indulgences.  He 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  3,  ch.  4. 
i>     r,.  G. 


130  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

declared  his  willingness  to  defend  these  theses  next  day  at 
the  university,  against  all  who  should  see  fit  to  attack  them. 

His  propositions  attracted  universal  attention.  Thej* 
were  read  and  re-read,  and  repeated  in  every  direction. 
Great  excitement  was  created  in  the  university  and  in  the 
whole  city.  By  these  theses  it  was  shown  that  the  power 
to  grant  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  to  remit  its  penalty,  had 
never  been  committed  to  the  pope  or  to  any  other  man. 
The  whole  scheme  was  a  farce, —  an  artifice  to  extort  money 
by  playing  upon  the  superstitions  of  the  people, —  a  device 
of  Satan  to  destroy  the  souls  of  all  who  should  trust  to  its 
lying  pretensions.  It  was  also  clearly  shown  that  the  gospel 
of  Christ  is  the  most  valuable  treasure  of  the  church,  and 
that  the  grace  of  God,  therein  revealed,  is  freely  bestowed 
upon  all  who  seek  it  by  repentance  and  faith. 

Luther's  theses  challenged  discussion;  but  no  one  dared 
accept  the  challenge.  The  questions  which  he  proposed  had 
in  a  few  days  spread  through  all  Germany,  and  in  a  few 
weeks  they  had  sounded  throughout  Christendom.  Many 
devoted  Komanists,  who  had  seen  and  lamented  the  terrible 
iniquity  prevailing  in  the  church,  but  had  not  known  how 
to  arrest  its  progress,  read  the  propositions  with  great  joy, 
recognizing  in  them  the  voice  of  God.  They  felt  that  the 
Lord  had  graciously  set  His  hand  to  arrest  the  rapidly  swell- 
ing tide  of  corruption  that  was  issuing  from  the  see  of  Rome. 
Princes  and  magistrates  secretly  rejoiced  that  a  check  was  to 
be  put  upon  the  arrogant  power  which  denied  the  right  of 
appeal  from  its  decisions. 

But  the  sin-loving  and  superstitious  multitudes  were  ter- 
rified as  the  sophistries  that  had  soothed  their  fears  were 
swept  away.  Crafty  ecclesiastics,  interrupted  in  their  work 
of  sanctioning  crime,  and  seeing  their  gains  endangered, 
were  enraged,  and  rallied  to  uphold  their  pretensions.  The 
Reformer  had  bitter  accusers  to  meet.  Some  charged  him 
with  acting  hastily  and  from  impulse.  Others  accused  him 
of  presumption,  declaring  that  he  was  not  directed  of  God, 
but  was  acting  from  pride  and  forwardness.    **Who  does  not 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  131 

know, ' '  he  responded,  ' '  that  a  man  rarely  puts  forth  any  new 
idea  without  having  some  appearance  of  pride,  and  without 
being'  accused  of  exciting  quarrels?  .  .  .  Why  were  Christ 
and  all  the  martyrs  put  to  death?  Because  they  seemed 
to  be  proud  contemners  of  the  wisdom  of  the  time,  and  be- 
cause they  advanced  novelties  wdthout  having  first  humbly 
taken  counsel  of  the  oracles  of  the  ancient  opinions." 

Again  he  declared:  "Whatever  I  do  will  be  done,  not  by 
the  prudence  of  men,  but  by  the  counsel  of  God.  If  the 
work  be  of  God,  who  shall  stop  it?  if  it  be  not,  who  can  for- 
ward it?  Not  my  will,  nor  theirs,  nor  ours;  but  Thy  will, 
0  holy  Father,  which  art  in  heaven."^ 

Though  Luther  had  been  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
begin  his  work,  he  was  not  to  carry  it  forward  without 
severe  conflicts.  The  reproaches  of  his  enemies,  their  mis- 
representation of  his  purposes,  and  their  unjust  and  mali- 
cious reflections  upon  his  character  and  motives,  came  in 
upon  him  like  an  overwhelming  flood;  and  they  were  not 
without  effect.  He  had  felt  confident  that  the  leaders  of 
the  people,  both  in  the  church  and  in  the  schools,  would 
gladly  unite  with  him  in  efforts  for  reform.  Words  of  en- 
couragement from  those  in  high  position  had  inspired  him 
with  joy  and  hope.  Already  in  anticipation  he  had  seen 
a  brighter  day  dawning  for  the  church.  But  encourage- 
ment had  changed  to  reproach  and  condemnation.  Many 
dignitaries,  of  both  church  and  state,  were  convicted  of 
the  truthfulness  of  his  theses;  but  they  soon  saw  that  the 
acceptance  of  these  truths  would  involve  great  changes.  To 
enlighten  and  reform  the  people  would  be  virtually  to  un- 
dermine the  authority  of  Rome,  to  stop  thousands  of  streams 
now  flowing  into  her  treasury,  and  thus  greatly  to  curtail 
the  extravagance  and  luxury  of  the  papal  leaders.  Further- 
more, to  teach  the  people  to  think  and  act  as  responsible 
beings,  looking  to  Christ  alone  for  salvation,  would  over- 
throw the  pontiff's  throne,  and  eventually  destroy  their 
own  authority.  For  this  reason  they  refused  the  knowledge 
tendered  them  of  God,  and  arrayed  themselves  against 
»D'Aubign6,  b.   3,  ch    6. 


132  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Christ  and  the  truth  by  their  opposition  to  the  man  whom 
He  had  sent  to  enlighten  them. 

Luther  trembled  as  he  looked  upon  himself  —  one  man 
opposed  to  the  mightiest  powers  of  earth.  He  sometimes 
doubted  whether  he  had  indeed  been  led  of  God  to  set  him- 
self against  the  authority  of  the  church.  "Who  was  I," 
he  writes,  "to  oppose  the  majesty  of  the  pope,  before  Avhom 
.  :  .  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  tlie  whole  world  trem- 
bled? ...  No  one  can  know  what  my  heart  suffered  dur- 
ing these  first  two  years,  and  into  what  despondency,  I 
may  say  into  what  despair,  I  was  sunk. ' '  *  But  he  was 
not  left  to  become  utterly  disheartened.  When  human  sup- 
port failed,  he  looked  to  God  alone,  and  learned  that  he 
could  lean   in   perfect   safety   upon   that   all-powerful   arm. 

To  a  friend  of  the  Reformation  Luther  wrote:  "We 
cannot  attain  to  the  understanding  of  Scripture  either  by 
study  or  by  the  intellect.  Your  first  duty  is  to  begin  by 
prayer.  Entreat  the  Lord  to  grant  you,  of  His  great  mercy, 
the  true  understanding  of  His  word.  There  is  no  other 
interpreter  of  tlie  word  of  God  than  the  Author  of  this  word, 
as  He  Himself  has  said,  'They  shall  be  all  taught  of  God.' 
Hope  for  nothing  from  your  own  labors,  from  your  own  un- 
derstanding: trust  solely  in  God,  and  in  the  influence  of 
His  Spirit.  Believe  this  on  the  word  of  a  man  who  has  had 
experience."^  Here  is  a  lesson  of  vital  importance  to  those 
who  feel  that  God  has  called  them  to  present  to  others  the 
solemn  truths  for  this  time.  These  truths  will  stir  the 
enmity  of  Satan,  and  of  men  who  love  the  fables  that  he 
has  devised.  In  the  conflict  with  the  powers  of  evil,  there 
is  need  of  something  more  than  strength  of  intellect  and 
human  wisdom. 

When  enemies  appealed  to  custom  and  tradition,  or  to 
the  assertions  and  authority  of  the  pope,  Luther  met  them 
with  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only.  Here  were  arguments 
which  they  could  not  answer;  therefore  the  slaves  of  formal- 
ism and  superstition  clamored  for.  his  blood,  as  the  Jews 
had  clamored  for  the  blood  of  Christ.  "He  is  a  heretic," 
^D'Aubigne,  b.  3,  ch.  6.  *D'Aubign6,  b.  3,  ch.  7. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  133 

cried  the  Roman  zealots.  "It  is  high  treason  against  the 
church  to  allow  so  horrible  a  heretic  to  live  one  hour  longer. 
Let  the  scaffold  be  instantly  erected  for  him ! "  '  But  Luther 
did  not  fall  a  prey  to  their  fury.  God  had  a  work  for 
him  to  do,  and  angels  of  heaven  were  sent  to  protect  himt 
Many,  however,  who  had  received  from  Luther  the  pre^ 
cious  light,  were  made  the  objects  of  Satan's  wrath,  and 
for  the  truth's  sake  fearlessly  suffered  torture  and  death. 

Luther's  teachings  attracted  the  attention  of  thoughtful 
minds  throughout  all  Germany.  From  his  sermons  and 
writings  issued  beams  of  light  which  awakened  and  illumi- 
nated thousands.  A  living  faith  was  taking  the  place  of 
the  dead  formalism  in  wliicli  the  church  had  so  long  been 
held.  The  people  were  daily  losing  confidence  in  the  super- 
stitions of  Romanism.  The  barriers  of  prejudice  were  giv- 
ing way.  The  word  of  God,  by  which  Luther  tested  every 
doctrine  and  every  claim,  was  like  a  two-edged  sword, 
cutting  its  way  to  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Everywhere 
there  was  awakening  a  desire  for  spiritual  progress.  Every- 
where was  such  a  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteous- 
ness as  had  not  been  known  for  ages.  The  eyes  of  the 
people,  so  long  directed  to  human  rites  and  earthly  media- 
tors, were  now  turning  in  penitence  and  faith  to  Christ  and 
Him  crucified.  Mnwh.'i'inii    [>ii<;    vtf'nr<j    ■"'■ 

This  wide-spread  interest  aroused  still  further  the  fears 
of  the  papal  authorities.  Luther  received  a  summons  to  ap- 
pear at  Rome,  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  heresy.  The  com- 
mand filled  his  friends  with  terror.  They  knew  full  well 
the  danger  that  threatened  him  in  that  corrupt  city,  already 
drunk  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus.  They  pro- 
tested against  his  going  to  Rome,  and  requested  that  he 
receive  his  examination  in  Germany. 

This  arrangement  was  finally  effected,  and  the  pope's 
legate  was  appointed  to  hear  the  ease.  In  the  instructions 
communicated  by  the  pontiff  to  this  official,  it  was  stated 
that  Luther  had  already  been  declared  a  heretic.  The  legate 
was  therefore  charged  "to  prosecute  and  constrain  without 
*D'Aubigiie,  b.  3,  ch.  9, 


i§4  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

any  delay."  If  he  should  remain  steadfast,  and  the  legate 
should  fail  to  gain  possession  of  his  person,  he  was  em- 
powered "to  proscribe  him  in  every  part  of  Germany;  to 
banish,  curse,  and  excommunicate  all  those  who  are  at- 
tached to  him. ' ' '  And  further,  the  pope  directed  his  legate, 
in  order  entirely  to  root  out  the  pestilent  heresy,  to  excom- 
municate all,  of  whatever  dignity  in  church  or  state,  except 
the  emperor,  who  should  neglect  to  seize  Luther  and  his  ad- 
herents, and  deliver  them  up  to  the  vengeance  of  Rome. 

Here  is  displayed  the  true  spirit  of  popery.  Not  a  trace 
of  Christian  principle,  or  even  of  common  justice,  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  whole  document.  Luther  was  at  a  great  dis- 
tance from  Rome;  he  had  had  no  opportunity  to  explain  or 
defend  his  position;  yet  before  his  case  had  been  investi- 
gated, he  was  summarily  pronounced  a  heretic,  and  in 
the  same  day,  exhorted,  accused,  judged,  and  condemned; 
and  all  this  by  the  self-styled  holy  father,  the  only  su- 
preme, infallible  authority  in  church  or  state! 

At  this  time,  when  Luther  so  much  needed  the  sympa- 
thy and  counsel  of  a  true  friend,  God's  providence  sent 
Melanehthon  to  Wittenberg.  Young  in  years,  modest  and 
diffident  in  his  manners,  Melanehthon 's  sound  judgment,  ex- 
tensive knowledge,  and  winning  eloquence,  combined  with 
the  purity  and  uprightness  of  his  character,  won  uni- 
versal admiration  and  esteem.  The  brilliancy  of  his  talents 
was  not  more  marked  than  his  gentleness  of  disposition. 
He  soon  became  an  earnest  disciple  of  the  gospel,  and 
Luther's  most  trusted  friend  and  valued  supporter;  his 
gentleness,  caution,  and  exactness  serving  as  a  complement 
to  Luther's  courage  and  energy.  Their  union  in  the  work 
added  strength  to  the  Reformation,  and  Avas  a  source  of 
great  encouragement  to  Luther. 

Augsburg  had  been  fixed  upon  as  the  place  of  trial,  and 
the  Reformer  set  out  on  foot  to  perform  the  journey  thither. 
Serious  fears  were  entertained  in  his  behalf.  Threats  had 
been  made  openly  that  he  would  be  seized  and  murdered  on 
the  way,  and  his  friends  begged  him  not  to  venture.  They 
*D'Aubign6,  b.  4,  ch.  2. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  135 

even  entreated  him  to  leave  Wittenberg  for  a  time,  and  find 
safety  with  those  who  would  gladly  protect  him.  But  he 
would  not  leave  the  position  where  God  had  placed  him. 
He  must  continue  faithfully  to  maintain  the  truth,  notwith- 
standing the  storms  that  were  beating  upon  him.  His 
language  was:  "I  am  like  Jeremiah,  a  man  of  strife  and 
contention;  but  the  more  their  threats  increase,  the  more 
my  joy  is  multiplied.  .  .  .  They  have  already  destroyed  my 
honor  and  my  reputation.  One  single  thing  remains;  it  is 
ray  wretched  body:  let  them  take  it;  they  will  thus  shorten 
my  life  by  a  few  hours.  But  as  for  my  soul,  they  cannot 
take  that.  He  who  desires  to  proclaim  the  word  of  Christ 
to  the  world,  must  expect  death  at  every  moment. ' ' ' 

The  tidings  of  Luther's  arrival  at  Augsburg  gave  great 
satisfaction  to  the  papal  legate.  The  troublesome  heretic 
who  was  exciting  the  attention  of  the  whole  world  seemed 
now  in  the  power  of  Rome,  and  the  legate  determined  that 
he  should  not  escape.  The  Reformer  had  failed  to  provide 
himself  with  a  safe-conduct.  His  friends  urged  him  not  to 
appear  before  the  legate  without  one,  and  they  themselves 
undertook  to  procure  it  from  the  emperor.  The  legate  in- 
tended to  force  Luther,  if  possible,  to  retract,  or,  failing 
in  this,  to  cause  him  to  be  conveyed  to  Rome,  to  share  the 
fate  of  Huss  and  Jerome.  Therefore  through  his  agents 
he  endeavored  to  induce  Luther  to  appear  without  a  safe- 
conduct,  trusting  himself  to  his  mercy.  This  the  Reformer 
firmly  declined  to  do.  Not  until  he  had  received  the  docu- 
ment pledging  him  the  emperor's  protection,  did  he  appear 
in  the  presence  of  the  papal  ambassador. 

As  a  matter  of  policy,  the  Romanists  had  decided  to 
attempt  to  win  Luther  by  an  appearance  of  gentleness.  The 
legate,  in  his  interviews  with  him,  professed  great  friendli- 
ness; but  he  demanded  that  Luther  submit  implicitly  to 
the  autliority  of  the  church,  and  yield  every  point  without 
argument  or  question.  He  had  not  rightly  estimated  the 
character  of  the  man  with  whom  he  had  to  deal.  Luther, 
in  reply,  expressed  his  regard  for  the  church,  his  desire  for 

*D'Aubigu6,  b.  4,  ch.  4. 


lS6  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  truth,  his  readiness  to  answer  all  objections  to  what  he 
had  taught,  and  to  submit  his  doctrines  to  the  decision  of 
certain  leading  universities.  But  at  the  same  time  he  pro- 
tested against  the  cardinal's  course  in  requiring  him  to 
retract  without  having  proved  him  in  error. 

The  only  response  was,  ' '  Retract,  retract ! ' '  The  Reformer 
showed  that  his  position  was  sustained  by  the  Scriptures, 
and  firmly  declared  that  he  could  not  renounce  the  truth. 
The  legate,  unable  to  reply  to  Luther's  arguments,  over- 
whelmed him  with  a  storm  of  reproaches,  gibes,  and  flat- 
tery, interspersed  with  quotations  from  tradition  and  the 
sayings  of  the  Fathers,  granting  the  Reformer  no  oppor- 
tunity to  speak.  Seeing  that  the  conference,  thus  con- 
tinued, would  be  utterly  futile,  Luther  finally  obtained  a 
reluctant  permission  to  present  his  answer  in  Avriting. 

"In  so  doing,"  said  he,  writing  to  a  friend,  "the  op- 
pressed find  double  gain ;  first,  Avhat  is  written  may  be 
submitted  to  the  judgment  of  others;  and  second,  one  has  a 
better  chance  of  working  on  the  fears,  if  not  on  the  con- 
science, of  an  arrogant  and  babbling  despot,  who  would 
otherwise  overpower  by  his  imperious  language. ' '  * 
V'i  At  the  next  interview,  Luther  presented  a  clear,  concise, 
and  forcible  exposition  of  his  views,  fully  supported  by 
many  quotations  from  Scripture.  This  paper,  after  reading 
aloud,  he  handed  to  the  cardinal,  who,  however,  cast  it 
contemptuously  aside,  declaring  it  to  be  a  mass  of  idle  words 
and  irrelevant  quotations.  Luther,  fully  roused,  now  met 
the  haughty  prelate  on  his  own  ground, —  the  traditions 
and  teachings  of  the  church, —  and  utterly  overthrew  his 
assumptions. 

When  the  prelate  saw  that  Luther's  reasoning  was  un- 
answerable, he  lost  all  self-control,  and  in  a  rage  cried  out: 
"Retract!  or  I  will  send  you  to  Rome,  there  to  appear 
before  the  judges  commissioned  to  take  cognizance  of  your 
cause.  I  will  excommunicate  you  and  all  your  partisans, 
and  all  who  shall  at  any  time  countenance  you,  and  will 

'  Martyn,  ' '  The  Life  and  Times  of  Luther, ' '  pp.  271,  272. 


L  UTHER  'S  SEPARA  TION  FR  031  R  OME  1 37 

cast  them  out  of  the  church."  And  he  finally  declared, 
in  a  haughty  and  angry, ,, tone,  ,.' '.Retract,  or  return  no 
more."'  iiiTuroilt  Ixul  virit  luoil//  iikk!  jh' T 

The  Reformer  promptly  withdrew  with  his  friends,  thus 
declaring  plainly  that  no  retraction  was  to  be  expected  from 
him.  This  was  not  what  the  cardinal  had  purposed.  He  had 
flattered  himself  that  by  violence  he  could  awe  Luther  to 
submission.  Now,  left  alone  with  his  supporters,  he  looked 
from  one  to  another  in  utter  chagrin  at  the  unexpected 
failure  of  his  schemes. 

Luther's  efforts  on  this  occasion  were  not  without  good 
results.  The  large  assembly  present  had  opportunity  to 
compare  the  two  men,  and  to  judge  for  themselves  of  the 
spirit  manifested  by  them,  as  well  as  of  the  strength  and 
truthfulness  of  their  positions.  How  marked  the  contrast ! 
The  Reformer,  simple,  humble,  firm,  stood  up  in  the  strength 
of  God,  having  truth  on  his  side;  the  pope's  representa- 
tive, self-important,  overbearing,  haughty,  and  unreason- 
able, was  without  a  single  argument  from  the  Scriptures, 
yet  vehemently  crying,  "Retract,  or  be  sent  to  Rome  for 
punishment. ' ' 

..Notwithstanding  Luther  had  secured  a  safe-conduct,  the 
Romanists  were  plotting  to  seize  and  imprison  him.  His 
friends  urged  that  as  it  was  useless  for  him  to  prolong  his 
stay,  he  should  return  to  Wittenberg  without  delay,  and  that 
the  utmost  caution  should  be  observed  in  order  to  conceal 
his  intentions.  He  accordingly  left  Augsburg  before  day- 
break, on  horseback,  accompanied  only  by  a  guide  furnished 
him  by  the  magistrate.  With  many  forebodings  he  secretly 
made  his  way  through  the  dark  and  silent  streets  of  the  city. 
Enemies,  vigilant  and  cruel,  were  plotting  his  destruction. 
Would  he  escape  the  snares  prepared  for  him?  Those  were 
moments  of  anxiety  and  earnest  prayer.  He  reached  a  small 
gate  in  the  wall  of  the  city.  It  was  opened  for  him,  and 
with  his  guide  he  passed  through  without  hindrance.  Once 
safely  outside,  the  fugitives  hastened  their  flight,  and  before 

'D'Aubigne,  b.  4,  ch.  8  (London   ed.). 


t38  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  legate  learned  of  Luther's  departure,  he  was  beyond  the 
reach  of  his  persecutors.  Satan  and  his  emissaries  were 
defeated.  Tlie  man  whom  they  had  thought  in  their  power 
was  gone,  escaped  as  a  bird  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler. 

At  the  news  of  Luther's  escape,  the  legate  was  over- 
whelmed with  surprise  and  anger.  He  had  expected  to 
receive  great  honor  for  his  wisdom  and  firmness  in  dealing 
with  this  disturber  of  the  church;  but  his  hope  was  dis- 
appointed. He  gave  expression  to  his  wrath  in  a  letter 
to  Frederick,  the  elector  of  Saxony,  bitterly  denouncing 
Luther,  and  demanding  that  Frederick  send  the  Reformer 
to  Rome  or  banish  him  from  Saxony. 

In  defense,  Luther  urged  that  the  legate  or  the  pope 
show  him  his  errors  from  the  Scriptures,  and  pledged  him- 
self in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  renounce  his  doctrines 
if  they  could  be  shown  to  contradict  the  word  of  God. 
And  he  expressed  his  gratitude  to  God  that  he  had  been 
counted  worthy  to  suffer  in  so  holy  a  cause. 

The  elector  had,  as  yet,  little  knowledge  of  the  reformed 
doctrines,  but  he  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  candor, 
force,  and  clearness  of  Luther's  words;  and  until  the 
Reformer  should  be  proved  to  be  in  error,  Frederick  re- 
solved to  stand  as  his  protector.  In  reply  to  the  legate's 
demand  he  wrote :  "  '  Since  Doctor  Martin  has  appeared 
before  you  at  Augsburg,  you  should  be  satisfied.  "We  did 
not  expect  that  you  would  endeavor  to  make  him  retract 
without  having  convinced  him  of  his  errors.  None  of  the 
learned  men  in  our  principality  have  informed  me  that  Mar- 
tin's doctrine  is  impious,  antichristian,  or  heretical.'  The 
prince  refused,  moreover,  to  send  Luther  to  Rome,  or  to 
expel  him  from  his  states. ' ' ' 

The  elector  saw  that  there  was  a  general  breaking  down 
of  the  moral  restraints  of  society.  A  great  work  of  reform 
was  needed.  The  complicated  and  expensive  arrangements 
to  restrain  and  punish  crime  would  be  unnecessary  if  men 
but  acknowledged  and  obeyed  the  requirements  of  God  and 
the  dictates  of  an  enlightened  conscience.  He  saw  that 
»D'Aubigne,  b.  4,  ch.   10. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  139 

Luther  was  laboring  to  secure  this  object,  and  he  secretly 
rejoiced  that  a  better  influence  was  making  itself  felt  in 
the  church. 

He  saw  also  that  as  a  professor  in  the  university  Luther 
was  eminently  successful.  Only  a  year  had  passed  since 
the  Reformer  posted  his  theses  on  the  castle  church,  yet  there 
was  already  a  great  falling  off  in  the  number  of  pilgrims 
that  visited  the  church  at  the  festival  of  All  Saints.  Rome 
had  been  deprived  of  worshipers  and  offerings,  but  their 
place  was  filled  by  another  class,  who  now  came  to  Witten- 
berg, not  pilgrims  to  adore  her  relics,  but  students  to  fill 
her  halls  of  learning.  The  writings  of  Luther  had  kindled 
everywhere  a  new  interest  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  not 
only  from  all  parts  of  Germany,  but  from  other  lands, 
students  flocked  to  the  university.  Young  men,  coming  in 
sight  of  Wittenberg  for  the  first  time,  "raised  their  hands 
to  heaven,  and  praised  God  for  having  caused  the  light 
of  truth  to  shine  forth  from  this  city,  as  from  Zion  in 
times  of  old,  and  whence  it  spread  even  to  the  most  dis- 
tant  countries. ' ' ' 

Luther  was  as  yet  but  partially  converted  from  the 
errors  of  Romanism.  But  as  he  compared  the  Holy  Oracles 
with  the  papal  decrees  and  constitutions,  he  was  filled  with 
wonder.  "I  am  reading,"  he  wrote,  "the  decrees  of  the 
pontiffs,  and  ...  I  do  not  know  whether  the  pope  is 
antichrist  himself,  or  his  apostle,  so  greatly  is  Christ  mis- 
represented and  crucified  in  them. ' '  ^  Yet  at  this  time 
Luther  was  still  a  supporter  of  the  Roman  Church,  and 
had  no  thought  that  he  would  ever  separate  from  her 
communion. 

The  Reformer's  writings  and  his  doctrine  were  extend- 
ing to  every  nation  in  Christendom.  The  work  spread  to 
Switzerland  and  Holland.  Copies  of  his  writings  found  their 
way  to  France  and  Spain,  In  England  his  teachings  were 
received  as  the  word  of  life.  To  Belgium  and  Italy  also  the 
truth  had  extended.  Thousands  were  awakening  from  their 
deathlike  stupor  to  the  joy  and  hope  of  a  life  of  faitli, 
*  D  'Aubigne,  b,  4,  ch.  10.  *  IJera,  b.  5,  ch.  1. 


140  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Rome  became  more  and  more  exasperated  by  the  attacks 
of  Luther,  and  it  was  declared  by  some  of  his  fanatical 
opponents,  even  by  doctors  in  Catholic  universities,  that 
he  who  should  kill  the  rebellious  monk  would  be  without 
sin.  One  daj'  a  stranger,  with  a  pistol  hidden  under  his 
cloak,  approached  the  Reformer,  and  inquired  why  he  went 
thus  alone,  "I  am  in  God's  hands, "  answered  Luther. 
''He  is  my  strength  and  my  shield.  What  can  man  do  unto 
me?'"  Upon  hearing  these  words,  the  stranger  turned  pale, 
and  fled  away,  as  from  the  presence  of  the  angels  af  heaven. 
In  Rome  was  bent  upon  the  destruction  of  Luther ;  but 
God  was  his  defense.  His  doctrines  were  heard  every^ 
where,— "in  cottages  and  convents,  ...  in  the  castles  of 
the  nobles,  in  the  universities,  and  in  the  palaces  of  kings;" 
and  noble  men  were  rising  on  every  hand  to  sustain  his 
efforts.' 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Luther,  reading  the  works 
of  Huss,  found  that  the  great  truth  of  justification  by  faith, 
which  he  himself  was  seeking  to  uphold  and  teach,  had  been 
held  by  the  Bohemian  Reformer.  "We  have  all,"  said 
Luther,  "Paul,  Augustine,  and  myself,  been  Hussites  with- 
out knowing  it!"  "God  will  surely  visit  it  upon  the  world," 
he  continued,  "that  the  truth  was  preached  to  it  a  cen- 
tury ago,   and  burned  ! "  ^  -  ' 

In  an  appeal  to  the  emperor  and  nobility  of  Germany  in 
behalf  of  the  Reformation  of  Christianity,  Luther  wrote 
concerning  the  pope:  "It  is  a  horrible  thing  to  behold 
the  man  who  styles  himself  Christ's  vicegerent,  display- 
ing a  magnificence  that  no  emperor  can  equal.  Is  this 
being  like  the  poor  Jesus,  or  the  humble  Peter?  He  is, 
say  they,  the  lord  of  the  world !  But  Christ,  whose  vicar 
he  boasts  of  being,  has  said,  'My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world.'  Can  the  dominions  of  a  vicar  extend  beyond  those 
of  his  superior  ? "  * 

■Ji'  He  wrote  thus  of  the  universities:  "I  am  much  afraid 
that  the  universities   will   prove   to  be   the   great   gates   of 

/»D'Aubigiie,  b.  6,  ch.  2.  'Wylie,  b.  6,  ch.  1. 

'D'Aubigne,  b.  6,  cli.  3. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  141 

hell,  unless  they  diligently  labor  in  explaining  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  engraving  them  in  the  hearts  of  youth.  I 
advise  no  one  to  place  his  child  where  the  Scriptures  do  not 
reign  paramount.  Every  institution  in  which  men  are  not 
unceasingly  occupied  with  the  word  of  God  must  become 
corrupt. " ' 

This  appeal  was  rapidly  circulated  throughout  Germany, 
and  exerted  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  people.  The 
whole  nation  was  stirred,  and  multitudes  were  roused  to 
rally  around  the  standard  of  reform.  Luther's  opponents, 
burning  \\dth  a  desire  for  revenge,  urged  the  pope  to  take 
decisive  measures  against  him.  It  was  decreed  that  his 
doctrines  should  be  immediately  condemned.  Sixty  days 
were  granted  the  Reformer  and  his  adherents,  after  which, 
if  they  did  not  recant,  they  were  all  to  be  excommunicated. 
'  That  was  a  terrible  crisis  for  the  Reformation.  For  cen- 
turies Rome's  sentence  of  excommunication  had  struck  ter- 
ror to  powerful  monarchs;  it  had  filled  mighty  empires  with 
woe  and  desolation.  Those  upon  whom  its  condemnation 
fell,  were  universally  regarded  with  dread  and  horror;  they 
were  cut  off  from  intercourse  with  their  fellows,  and  treated 
as  outlaws,  to  be  hunted  to  extermination.  Luther  was  not 
blind  to  the  tempest  about  to  burst  upon  him;  but  he  stood 
firm,  trusting  in  Christ  to  be  his  support  and  shield.  With 
a  martyr 's  faith  and  courage  he  wrote :  ' '  What  is  about  to 
happen  I  know  not,  nor  do  I  care  to  know.  .  .  .  Let  the 
blow  light  where  it  may,  I  am  without  fear.  Not  so  much 
as  a  leaf  falls,  without  the  will  of  our  Father.  How  much 
rather  will' He  care  for  us!  It  is  a  light  thing  to'  die  foi' 
the  Word,  since  the  Word  which  was  made  flesh  hath  Him- 
self died.  If  we  die  with  Him,  we  shall  live  with  Him; 
and  passing  through  that  which  He  has  passed  through 
before  us,  we  shall  be  where  He  is  and  dwell  with  Hira 
forever.'"' 

•r  'When  the  papal  bull  reached  Luther,  he  said:  "I  despise 
and  attack  it,  as  impious,  false.  ...  It   is   Christ  Himself 

^D'Aubigne,  b.  6,  eh.  ,3. 
»D'Aubign6,  b.  6,  ch.  9  (3d  London  ed.,  Walther,  1840). 


142  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

who  is  condemned  therein.  ...  I  rejoice  in  having  to  bear 
such  ills  for  the  best  cf  causes.  Already  I  feel  greater 
liberty  in  my  heart;  for  at  last  I  know  that  the  pope  is 
antichrist,  and  that  his  throne  is  that  of  Satan  himself, ' ' ' 

Yet  the  mandate  of  Rome  was  not  Avithout  effect.  Prison, 
torture,  and  sword  were  Aveapons  potent  to  enforce  obedience. 
The  weak  and  superstitious  trembled  before  the  decree  of  the 
pope;  and  while  there  was  general  sympathy  for  Luther, 
many  felt  that  life  was  too  dear  to  be  risked  in  the  cause  of 
reform.  Everything  seemed  to  indicate  that  the  Reformer's 
work  was  about  to  close. 

But  Luther  was  fearless  still.  Rome  had  hurled  her 
anathemas  against  him,  and  the  world  looked  on,  nothing 
doubting  that  he  would  perish  or  be  forced  to  yield.  But 
with  terrible  power  he  fiung  back  upon  herself  the  sentence 
of  condemnation,  and  publicly  declared  his  determination 
to  abandon  her  forever.  In  the  presence  of  a  crowd  of 
students,  doctors,  and  citizens  of  all  ranks,  Luther  burned 
the  pope's  bull,  with  the  canon  laws,  the  decretals,  and  cer- 
tain writings  sustaining  the  papal  power.  "My  enemies 
have  been  able,  by  burning  my  books,"  he  said,  "to  injure 
the  cause  of  truth  in  the  minds  of  the  common  i)eople, 
and  destroy  their  souls;  for  this  reason  I  consumed  their 
books  in  return.  A  serious  struggle  has  just  begun. 
Hitherto  I  have  been  only  playing  with  the  pope.  I  began 
this  work  in  God 's  name ;  it  will  be  ended  without  me, 
and  by  His  might."* 

To  the  reproaches  of  his  enemies  who  taunted  him  with 
the  weakness  of  his  cause,  Luther  answered:  "Who  knows 
if  God  has  not  chosen  and  called  me,  and  if  they  ought 
not  to  fear  that,  by  despising  me,  they  despise  God  Him- 
self? Moses  was  alone  at  the  departure  from  Egypt; 
Elijah  was  alone  in  the  reign  of  King  Ahab;  Isaiah  alone 
in  Jerusalem;  Ezekiel  alone  in  Babylon.  ,  .  .  God  never 
selected  as  a  prophet  either  the  high  priest  or  any  other 
great  personage;  but  ordinarily  He  chose  low  and  de- 
»D'Aubigne,  b.  6,  ch.  9.  "D'Aubigne,  b.  6,  cli.  10. 


LUTHER'S  SEPARATION  FROM  ROME  14S 

spised  men,  once  even  the  sheplierd  Amos.  In  every  age, 
the  saints  have  had  to  reprove  the  great,  kings,  princes, 
priests,  and  wise  men,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives.  ...  I  do 
not  say  that  I  am  a  prophet;  but  I  say  that  they  ought 
to  fear  precii^ely  because  I  am  alone  and  that  they  are 
many,  I  am  sure  of  this,  that  the  word  of  God  is  with 
me,  and  that  it  is  not  with  them. ' '  * 

Yet  it  was  not  without  a  terrible  struggle  with  himself 
that  Luther  decided  upon  a  final  separation  from  the  church. 
It  Avas  about  this  time  that  he  wrote :  "  I  feel  more  and  more 
every  day  how  difficult  it  is  to  lay  aside  the  scruples  which 
one  has  imbibed  in  childhood.  0,  how  much  pain  it  has 
caused  me,  though  I  had  the  Scriptures  on  my  side,  to 
justify  it  to  myself  that  I  should  dare  to  make  a  stand  alone 
against  the  pope,  and  hold  him  forth  as  antichrist!  What 
have  the  tribulations  of  my  heart  not  been!  How  many 
times  have  I  not  asked  myself  with  bitterness  that  question 
which  was  so  frequent  on  the  lips  of  the  papists:  'Art 
thou  alone  wise?  Can  every  one  else  be  mistaken?  How 
will  it  be,  if,  after  all,  it  is  thyself  who  art  wrong,  and 
who  art  involving  in  thy  error  so  many  souls,  who  will  then 
be  eternally  damned?'  'Twas  so  I  fought  with  myself  and 
with  Satan,  till  Christ,  by  His  own  infallible  word,  for- 
tified my  heart  against  these  doubts. ' '  * 

The  pope  had  threatened  Luther  with  excommunication 
if  he  did  not  recant,  and  the  threat  was  now  fulfilled.  A 
new  bull  appeared,  declaring  the  Reformer's  final  separation 
from  the  Roman  Church,  denouncing  him  as  accursed  of 
Heaven,  and  including  in  the  same  condemnation  all  who 
should  receive  his  doctrines.  The  great  contest  had  been 
fully  entered  upon. 

Opposition  is  the  lot  of  all  whom  God  employs  to  present 
truths  specially  applicable  to  their  time.  There  was  a  pres- 
ent truth  in  the  days  of  Luther, —  a  truth  at  that  time  of 
special  importance ;  there  is  a  present  truth  for  the  church 
to-day.    He  who  does  all  things  according  to  the  counsel  of 

»D'Aubign6,  b.   6,  ch.   10. 
'Martyn,  "Life  and  Times  of  Luther,"  pp.  372,373. 


144  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

His  will,  has  been  pleased  to  place  men  under  various  cir- 
cumstances, and  to  enjoin  upon  them  duties  peculiar  to  the 
times  in  which  they  live,  and  the  conditions  under  which 
they  are  placed.  If  they  would  prize  the  light  given  them, 
broader  views  of  truth  would  be  opened  before  them.  But 
truth  is  no  more  desired  by  the  majority  to-day  than  it  was 
by  the  papists  who  opposed  Luther.  There  is  the  same 
disposition  to  accept  the  theories  and  traditions  of  men  in- 
stead of  the  word  of  God  as  in  former  ages.  Those  who 
present  tlie  truth  for  this  time  should  not  expect  to  be  re- 
ceived with  greater  favor  than  were  earlier  reformers.  The 
great  controversy  between  truth  and  error,  between  Christ 
and  Satan,  is  to  increase  in  intensity  to  the  close  of  this 
world's  history. 

Said  Jesus  to  His  disciples:  "If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the 
world  would  love  his  own:  but  because  ye  are  not  of 
the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  there- 
fore the  world  hateth  you.  Kemember  the  word  that  I  said 
unto  you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  Lord.  If 
they  have  persecuted  Me,  they  will  also  persecute  you;' if 
they  have  kept  jNIy  saying,  they  will  keep  yours  also  ' '  * 
And  on  the  other  hand  our  Lord  decliared  plainly:  "Woe 
unto  you,  when  all  men  shall  speak  well  of  you!  for  so 
did  their  fathers  to  the  false  prophets."*  The  spirit  of 
the  world  is  no  more  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  Christ 
to-day  than  in  earlier  times ;  and  those  who  preach  the 
word  of  God  in  its  purity  will  be  received  with  no  greater 
favor  now  than  then.  The  forms  of  opposition  to  the  truth 
may  change,  the  enmity  may  be  less  open  because  it  is 
more  subtle;  but  the  same  antagonism  still  exists,  and  will 
be  manifested  to  the  end  of  time. 

'John  15:19,20.  "Luke  6:26. 


LUTHER    BEFORE   THE    DIET-8 

A  NEW  emperor,  Charles  V.,  had  ascended  the  throne  of 
Germany,  and  the  emissaries  of  Rome  hastened  to  present 
their  congratulations,  and  induce  the  monarch  to  employ  his 
power  against  the  Reformation.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
elector  of  Saxony,  to  whom  Charles  was  in  great  degree 
indebted  for  his  crown,  entreated  him  to  take  no  step  against 
Luther  until  he  should  have  granted  him  a  hearing.  The 
emperor  was  thus  placed  in  a  position  of  great  perplexity 
and  embarrassment.  The  papists  would  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  an  imperial  edict  sentencing  Luther  to 
death.  The  elector  had  declared  firmly  that  "neither  his 
imperial  majesty  nor  any  other  person  had  shown  that 
Luther's  writings  had  been  refuted;"  therefore  he  requested 
"that  Doctor  Luther  should  be  furnished  with  a  safe- 
conduct,  so  that  he  might  appear  before  a  tribunal  of 
learned,   pious,    and   impartial   judges. "  * 

The  attention  of  all  parties  was  now  directed  to  the  as- 
sembly of  the  German  states  which  convened  at  "Worms  soon 
after  the  accession  of  Charles  to  the  empire.  There  were 
important  political  questions  and  interests  to  be  considered 
by  this  national  council;  for  the  first  time  the  princes  of 
Germany  were  to  meet  their  youthful  monarch  in  deliber- 
ative assembly.  From  all  parts  of  the  fatherland  had  come 
jthe  dignitaries  of  church  and  state.  Secular  lords,  liigh- 
bor^i,,  powerful,    and    jealous    of    their    hereditary    rights; 

»D'A\ibigii6,  b,  6,  ch.  11. 

(145) 


146  '^HE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

princely  ecclesiastics,  flushed  with  their  conscious  superi- 
ority in  rank  and  power;  courtly  knights  and  their  armed 
retainers;  and  ambassadors  from  foreign  and  distant  lands, 
—  all  gathered  at  Worms.  Yet  in  that  vast  assembly  the 
subject  that  excited  the  deepest  interest,  was  the  cause 
of  the  Saxon  Reformer. 

Charles  had  pre^dously  directed  the  elector  to  bring 
Luther  with  him  to  the  Diet,  assuring  him  of  protection, 
and  promising  a  free  discussion,  with  competent  persons,  of 
the  questions  in  dispute.  Luther  was  anxious  to  appear 
before  the  emperor.  His  health  was  at  this  time  much  im- 
paired; yet  he  wrote  to  the  elector:  "If  I  cannot  go  to 
Worms  in  good  health,  I  will  be  carried  there,  sick  as  I 
am.  For  if  the  emperor  calls  me,  I  cannot  doubt  that 
it  is  the  call  of  God  Himself.  If  they  desire  to  use  vio- 
lence against  me,  and  that  is  very  probable  (for  it  is  not 
for  their  instruction  that  they  order  me  to  appear),  I 
place  the  matter  in  the  Lord's  hands.  He  still  lives  and 
reigns  who  preserved  the  three  young  men  in  the  burning 
fiery  furnace.  If  He  will  not  save  me,  my  life  is  of  little 
consequence.  Let  us  only  prevent  the  gospel  from  being 
exposed  to  the  scorn  of  the  wicked,  and  let  us  shed  our 
blood  for  it,  for  fear  they  should  triumph.  It  is  not  for 
me  to  decide  whether  my  life  or  my  death  will  contribute 
most  to  the  salvation  of  all.  .  .  .  You  may  expect  every- 
thing from  me  .  .  .  except  flight  and  recantation.  Fly  I 
cannot,  and  still  less  retract."* 

As  the  news  was  circulated  at  Worms  that  Luther  was  to 
appear  before  the  Diet,  a  general  excitement  M^as  created. 
Aleander,  the  papal  legate  to  whom  the  case  had  been  spe- 
cially intrusted,  was  alarmed  and  enraged.  He  saw  that  the 
result  would  be  disastrous  to  the  papal  cause.  To  institute 
inquiry  into  a  case  in  which  the  pope  had  already  pro- 
nounced sentence  of  condemnation,  would  be  to  cast  con- 
tempt upon  the  authority  of  the  sovereign  pontiff.  Further- 
more, he  was  apprehensive  that  the  eloquent  and  powerful 
arguments  of  this  man  might  turn  away  many  of  the  princes 
» D  'Aubigfi^,  b,  7,  Qh.  1. 


LUTHER  BEFORE   THE  DIET  y^t 

from  the  cause  of  the  pope.  He  therefore,  in  the  most  urgent 
manner,  remonstrated  with  Charles  against  Luther's  appear- 
ance at  Worms.  About  this  time  the  bull  declaring  Luther's 
excommunication  was  published;  and  this,  coupled  with  the 
representations  of  the  legate,  induced  the  emperor  to  yield. 
He  wrote  to  the  elector  that  if  Luther  would  not  retract, 
he  must  remain  at  Wittenberg. 

Not  content  with  this  victory,  Aleander  labored  with  all 
the  power  and  cunning  at  his  command  to  secure  Luther's 
condemnation.  With  a  persistence  worthy  of  a  better  cause, 
he  urged  the  matter  upon  the  attention  of  princes,  prelates, 
and  other  members  of  the  assembly,  accusing  the  Reformer 
of  "sedition,  rebellion,  impiety,  and  blasphemy."  But  the 
vehemence  and  passion  manifested  by  the  legate  revealed 
too  plainly  the  spirit  by  which  he  was  actuated.  "He  is 
moved  by  hatred  and  vengeance,"  was  the  general  remark, 
"much  more  than  by  zeal  and  piety."*  The  majority  of 
the  Diet  were  more  than  ever  inclined  to  regard  Luther's 
cause  with  favor.  /i..: 

With  redoubled  zeal,  Aleander  urged  upon  the  emperor 
the  duty  of  executing  the  papal  edicts.  But  under  the  laws 
of  Germany  this  could  not  be  done  without  the  concurrence 
of  the  princes;  and  overcome  at  last  by  the  legate's  importu- 
nity, Charles  bade  him  present  his  case  to  the  Diet.  "It 
was  a  proud  day  for  the  nuncio.  The  assembly  was  a  great 
one:  the  cause  was  even  greater.  Aleander  was  to  plead  for 
Rome,  .  .  .  the  mother  and  mistress  of  all  churches."  He 
was  to  vindicate  the  princedom  of  Peter  before  the  assembled 
principalities  of  Christendom.  ' '  He  had  the  gift  of  eloquence, 
and  he  rose  to  the  greatness  of  the  occasion.  Providence 
ordered  it  that  Rome  should  appear  and  plead  by  the  ablest 
01*  her  orators  in  the  presence  of  the  most  august  of  tri- 
bunals, before  she  was  condemned."*  With  some  misgiv- 
ings those  who  favored  the  Reformer  looked  forward  to 
the  effect  of  Aleander 's  speech.  The  elector  of  Saxony 
was  not  present,  but  by  his  direction  some  of  his  councilors 
attended,  to  take  notes  of  tlie  nuncio's  address. 

•D'Aubignfi,  b.  7,  cli.  L  »Wylie,  b.  G,  ch.  4. 


148  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY^ 

With  all  the  power  of  learning  and  eloquence,  Aleander 
set  himself  to  overthrow  the  truth.  Charge  after  charge  he 
hurled  against  Luther  as  an  enemy  of  the  church  and  the 
state,  the  living  and  the  dead,  clergy  and  laity,  councils 
and  private  Christians.  "In  Luther's  errors  there  is 
enough,"  he  declared,  to  warrant  the  burning  of  "a  hun* 
dred  thousand  heretics."  "'i   l!^'""   ^^'^ 

In  conclusion,  he  endeavored  to  east  contempt  upon  the 
adherents  of  the  reformed  faith :  ' '  What  are  all  these  Lu- 
therans? A  crew  of  insolent  pedagogues,  corrupt  priests, 
dissolute  monks,  ignorant  lawyers,  and  degraded  nobleSj 
with  the  common  people  whom  they  have  misled  and  per- 
verted. How  far  superior  to  them  is  the  Catholic  party  in 
number,  ability,  and  power!  A  unanimous  decree  from  this 
illustrious  assembly  will  enlighten  the  simple,  warn  the  im- 
prudent, decide  the  waverers,  and  give  strength  to  the 
weak." ' 

With  such  weapons  the  advocates  of  truth  in  every  age 
have  been  attacked.  The  same  arguments  are  still  urged 
against  all  who  dare  to  present,  in  opposition  to  established 
errors,  the  plain  and  direct  teachings  of  God's  word.  "Who 
are  these  preachers  of  new  doctrines?"  exclaim  those  who 
desire  a  popular  religion.  "They  are  unlearned,  few  in 
numbers,  and  of  the  poorer  class.  Yet  they  claim  to  have 
the  truth,  and  to  be  the  chosen  people  of  God.  They  are 
ignorant  and  deceived.  How  greatly  superior  in  numbers 
and  influence  is  our  church !  How  many  great  and  learned 
men  are  among  us !  How  much  more  power  is  on  our  side ! ' ' 
These  are  the  arguments  that  have  a  telling  influence  upon 
the  world;  but  they  are  no  more  conclusive' now  than  iB 
the  days  of  the  Reformer.  ^  '  ' 

The  Reformation  did  not,  as  many  suppose,  end  with 
Luther.  It  is  to  be  continued  to  the  close  of  this  world's 
history.  Luther  had  a  great  work  to  do  in  reflecting  to 
others  the  light  which  God  had  permitted  to  shine  upon 
him ;  yet  he  did  not  receive  all  the  light  which  was  to  be 
given  to  the  world.     From  that  time  to  this,  new  light  has 

^  D  'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  3. 


LUTHER  BEFORE  THE  DIET  149 

been    continually    shining    upon    the    Scriptures,    and    new- 
truths  have  been  constantly  unfolding. 

The  legate's  address  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the 
Diet.  There  was  no  Luther  present,  wdth  the  clear  and  con- 
vincing truths  of  God's  word,  to  vanquish  the  papal  cham- 
pion. No  attempt  was  made  to  defend  the  Reformer.  There 
was  manifest  a  general  disposition  not  only  to  condemn  him 
and  the  doctrines  which  he  taught,  but  if  possible  to  uproot 
the  heresy.  Rome  had  enjoyed  the  most  favorable  oppor- 
tunity to  defend  her  cause.  All  that  she  could  say  in  her 
owTi  vindication  had  been  said.  But  the  apparent  victory 
was  the  signal  of  defeat.  Henceforth  the  contrast  between 
truth  and  error  would  be  more  clearly  seen,  as  they  should 
take  the  field  in  open  warfare.  Never  from  that  day  would 
Rome  stand  as  secure  as  she  had  stood. 

While  most  of  the  members  of  the  Diet  would  not  have 
hesitated  to  yield  up  Ijuther  to  the  vengeance  of  Rome,  many 
of  them  saw  and  deplored  the  existing  depravity  in  the 
church,  and  desired  a  suppression  of  the  abuses  suffered  by 
the  German  people  in  consequence  of  the  corruption  and 
greed  of  the  hierarchy.  The  legate  had  presented  the  papal 
rule  in  the  most  favorable  light.  Now  the  Lord  moved 
upon  a  member  of  the  Diet  to  give  a  true  delineation  of  the 
effects  of  papal  tyranny.  With  noble  firmness,  Duke  George 
of  Saxony  stood  up  in  that  princely  assembly,  and  specified 
with  terrible  exactness  the  deceptions  and  abominations  of 
popery,  and  their  dire  results.     In  closing  he  said: 

' '  These  are  some  of  the  abuses  that  cry  out  against  Rome. 
All  shame  has  been  put  aside,  and  their  only  object  is 
.  .  .  money,  money,  money,  ...  so  that  the  preachers  who 
should  teach  the  truth,  utter  nothing  but  falsehoods,  and 
are  not  only  tolerated,  but  rewarded,  because  the  greater 
their  lies,  the  greater  their  gain.  It  is  from  this  foul 
spring  that  such  tainted  waters  flow.  Debauchery  stretches 
out  the  hand  to  avarice.  .  .  .  Alas,  it  is  the  scandal  caused 
by  the  clergy  that  hurls  so  many  poor  souls  into  eternal 
condemnation.  A  general  reform  must  be  effected. ' '  * 
*D'Aubigne,  b.   7,  ch.  4. 


150  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY  \ 

A  more  able  and  forcible  denunciation  of  the  papal 
abuses  could  not  have  been  presented  by  Luther  himself; 
and  the  fact  that  the  speaker  was  a  determined  enemy  of 
the  Reformer,  gave  greater  influence  to  his  words. 

Had  the  eyes  of  the  assembly  been  opened,  they  would 
have  beheld  angels  of  God  in  the  midst  of  them,  shedding 
beams  of  light  athwart  the  darkness  of  error,  and  opening 
minds  and  hearts  to  the  reception  of  truth.  It  was  the 
power  of  the  God  of  truth  and  wisdom  that  controlled  even 
the  adversaries  of  the  Reformation,  and  thus  prepared  the 
way  for  the  great  work  about  to  be  accomplished.  Martin 
Luther  was  not  jiresent;  but  the  voice  of  One  greater  than 
Luther  had  been  heard  in  that  assembly. 

A  committee  was  at  once  appointed  by  the  Diet  to  pre- 
pare an  enumeration  of  the  papal  oppressions  that  weighed 
so  heavily  on  the  German  people.  This  list,  containing  a 
liundred  and  one  specifications,  was  presented  to  the  em- 
peror, with  a  request  that  he  would  take  immediate  measures 
for  the  correction  of  these  abuses.  ' '  What  a  loss  of  Christian 
souls,"  said  the  petitioners,  "what  depredations,  what  extor- 
tions, on  account  of  the  scandals  by  which  the  spiritual  head 
of  Christendom  is  surrounded!  It  is  our  duty  to  prevent 
the  ruin  and  dishonor  of  our  people.  For  this  reason  we 
most  humbly  but  most  urgently  entreat  you  to  order  a 
general  reformation,  and  to  undertake  its  accomplishment."' 

The  council  now  demanded  the  Reformer's  appearance 
before  them.  Notwithstanding  the  entreaties,  protests,  and 
threats  of  Aleander,  the  emperor  at  last  consented,  and 
Luther  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Diet.  With  the 
summons  was  issued  a  safe-conduct,  insuring  his  return  to 
a  place  of  security.  These  were  borne  to  Wittenberg  by  a 
herald,   who  was  commissioned  to  conduct  him  to  Worms. 

The  friends  of  Luther  were  terrified  and  distressed. 
Knowing  the  prejudice  and  enmity  against  him,  they 
feared  that  even  his  safe-conduct  would  not  be  respected, 
and  they  entreated  him  not  to  imperil  his  life.  He  replied: 
"The  papists  do  not  desire  my  coming  to  Worms,  but  my 

^D'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  4. 


LUTHER  BEFORE  THE  DIET  151 

condemnation  and  my  death.  It  matters  not.  Pray  not 
for  me,  but  for  the  word  of  God.  .  .  .  Christ  will  give 
me  His  Spirit  to  overcome  these  ministers  of  error,  I 
despise  them  diirinp:  my  life;  I  shall  triumph  over  them 
by  my  death.  They  are  busy  at  Worms  about  compelling 
me  to  retract;  and  this  shall  be  my  retraction:  I  said  for- 
merly that  the  pope  was  Christ's  vicar;  now  I  assert  that 
he  is  our  Lord's  adversary,  and  the  devil's  apostle."* 

Luther  was  not  to  make  his  perilous  journey  alone.  Be- 
sides the  imperial  messenger,  three  of  his  firmest  friends 
determined  to  accompany  him.  Melanchthon  earnestly  de- 
sired to  join  them.  His  heart  was  knit  to  Luther's,  and  he 
yearned  to  follow  him,  if  need  be,  to  prison  or  to  death. 
But  his  entreaties  were  denied.  Should  Luther  perish,  the 
hopes  of  the  Reformation  must  center  upon  his  youthful 
co-laborer.  Said  the  Reformer  as  he  parted  from  Melanch- 
thon: "If  I  do  not  return,  and  my  enemies  put  me  to  death, 
continue  to  teach,  and  stand  fast  in  the  truth.  Labor  in 
my  stead.  ...  If  you  survive,  my  death  will  be  of  little 
consequence.'"'  Students  and  citizens  who  had  gathered  to 
witness  Luther's  departure  were  deeply  moved.  A  multi- 
tude whose  hearts  had  been  touched  by  the  gospel,  bade 
him  farewell  with  weeping.  Thus  the  Reformer  and  his 
companions  set  out  from  Wittenberg. 

I  On  the  journey  they  saw  that  the  minds  of  the  people 
were  oppressed  by  gloomy  forebodings.  At  some  towns  no 
honors  were  proffered  them.  As  they  stopped  for  the  night, 
a  friendly  priest  expressed  his  fears  by  holding  up  before 
Luther  the  portrait  of  an  Italian  reformer  who  had  suffered 
martyrdom.  The  next  day  they  learned  that  Luther's  writ- 
ings had  been  condemned  at  Worms.  Imperial  messengers 
were  proclaiming  the  emperor's  decree,  and  calling  upon 
the  people  to  bring  the  proscribed  works  to  the  magistrates. 
The  herald,  fearing  for  Luther's  safety  at  the  council,  and 
thinking  that  already  his  resolution  might  be  shaken,  asked 
if  he  still  wished  to  go  forward.  He  answered,  "Although 
interdicted  in  every  city,  I  shall  go  on. " ' 

*D'Aubign6,  b.   7,  cb.   6,  "Idem,  ch.  7. 


152  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

At  Erfurt,  Luther  was  received  with  honor.  Sur- 
rounded by  admiring  crowds,  he  passed  through  the  streets 
that  he  had  often  traversed  with  his  beggar's  wallet.  He 
visited  his  convent  cell,  and  thought  upon  the  struggles 
through  which  the  light  now  flooding  Germany  had  been  shed 
upon  his  soul.  He  was  urged  to  preach.  This  he  had  been 
forbidden  to  do,  but  the  herald  granted  him  permission, 
and  the  friar  who  had  once  been  made  the  drudge  of  the 
convent,  now  entered  the  pulpit. 

To  a  crowded  assembly  he  spoke  from  the  words  of 
Christ,  "Peace  be  unto  you."  "Philosophers,  doctors,  and 
writers,"  he  said,  "have  endeavored  to  teach  men  the  way 
to  obtain  everlasting  life,  and  they  have  not  succeeded.  I 
will  now  tell  it  to  you :  .  .  .  God  has  raised  one  Man  from 
the  dead,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  He  might  destroy 
death,  extirpate  sin,  and  shut  the  gates  of  hell.  This  is  the 
work  of  salvation.  .  .  .  Christ  has  vanquished !  this  is  the 
joyful  news;  and  we  are  saved  by  His  work,  and  not  by 
our  own.  .  .  .  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  said,  'Peace  be  unto 
you;  behold  My  hands;'  that  is  to  say.  Behold,  0  man!  it 
is  I,  I  alone,  who  have  taken  away  thy  sin,  and  ransomed 
thee;  and  now  thou  hast  peace,  saith  the  Lord." 

He  continued,  showing  that  true  faith  will  be  manifested 
by  a  holy  life.  ' '  Since  God  has  saved  us,  let  us  so  order  our 
works  that  they  may  be  acceptable  to  Him.  Art  thou  rich? 
let  thy  goods  administer  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor. 
Art  thou  poor?  let  thy  services  be  acceptable  to  the  rich. 
If  thy  labor  is  useful  to  thyself  alone,  the  service  that  thou 
pretendest  to  render  unto  God  is  a  lie."* 

The  people  listened  as  if  spellbound.  The  bread  of  life 
was  broken  to  those  starving  souls.  Christ  was  lifted  up 
before  them  as  above  popes,  legates,  emperors,  and  kings. 
Luther  made  no  reference  to  his  own  perilous  position.  He 
did  not  seek  to  make  himself  the  object  of  thought  or  sym- 
pathy. In  the  contemplation  of  Christ,  h€  had  lost  sight  of 
self.  He  hid  behind  the  Man  of  Calvary,  seeking  only  to 
present  Jesus  as  the  sinner's  Redeemer. 

'D'Aubigne,  b.  7,  cU,  7, 


LUTHER  BEFORE   THE  DIET  153 

As  the  Reformer  proceeded  on  his  journey,  he  was  every- 
where regarded  with  great  interest.  An  eager  multitude 
thronged  about  him,  and  friendly  voices  warned  him  of  the 
purpose  of  the  Romanists.  "They  will  bum  you,"  said 
some,  "and  reduce  your  body  to  ashes,  as  they  did  with 
John  Huss. "  Luther  answered,  "Though  they  should 
kindle  a  fire  all  the  way  from  Worms  to  Wittenberg,  the 
flames  of  which  reached  to  heaven,  I  would  walk  through 
it  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;  I  would  appear  before  them; 
I  would  enter  the  jaws  of  this  behemoth,  and  break  his 
teeth,  confessing  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'" 

The  news  of  his  approach  to  Worms  created  great  com- 
motion. His  friends  trembled  for  his  safety ;  his  enemies 
feared  for  the  success  of  their  cause.  Strenuous  efforts  were 
made  to  dissuade  him  from  entering  the  city.  At  the  insti- 
gation of  the  papists  he  was  urged  to  repair  to  the  castle 
of  a  friendly  knight,  where,  it  was  declared,  all  difficulties 
could  be  amicably  adjusted.  Friends  endeavored  to  excite 
his  fe3,rs  by  describing  the  dangers  that  threatened  him.' 
All  their  efforts  failed.  Luther,  still  unshaken,  declared, 
"Even  should  there  be  as  many  devils  in  Worms  as  tiles 
on  the  housetops,  still  I  would  enter  it. "  * 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Worms,  a  vast  crowd  flocked  to  the 
gates  to  welcome  him.  So  great  a  concourse  had  not  as- 
seinbled  to  greet  the  emperor  himself.  The  excitement  was 
intense,  and  from  the  midst  of  the  throng  a  shrill  and 
plaintive  voice  chanted  a  funeral  dirge,  as  a  warning  to 
Luther  of  the  fate  that  awaited  him.  "God  will  be  my 
defense,"  said  he,  as  he  alighted  from  his  carriage. 

The  papists  had  nolf  believed  that  Luther  would  really 
A'enture  to  appear  at  Worms,  and  his  arrival  filled  them 
with  consternation.  The  emperor  immediately  summoned 
his  councilors  to  consider  what  course  should  be  pursued. 
One  of  the  bishops,  a  rigid  papist,  declared:  "We  have  long 
consulted  on  this  matter.  Let  your  imperial  majesty  get 
rid  of  this  man  at  once.  Did  not  Sigismund  cause  John 
Huss  to  be  burnt  ?  We  are  not  bound  either  to  give  or 
^D'Aubigflg,  b.  7,  eh.  7. 


154  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  observe  the  safe-eondnct  of  a  heretic."  "No,"  said  the 
emperor ;  "  we  must  keep  our  promise. "  *  It  was  therefore 
decided  that  the  Reformer  should  be  heard. 

All  the  city  were  eager  to  see  this  remarkable  man,  and 
a  throng  of  visitors  soon  filled  his  lodgings.  Luther  had 
scarcely  recovered  from  his  recent  illness;  he  was  wearied 
from  the  journey,  which  had  occupied  two  full  weeks;  he 
must  prepare  to  meet  the  momentous  events  of  the  morrow, 
and  he  needed  quiet  and  repose.  But  so  great  was  the 
desire  to  see  him,  that  he  had  enjoyed  only  a  few  hours' 
rest,  when  noblemen,  knights,  priests,  and  citizens  gathered 
eagerly  about  him.  Among  these  were  many  of  the  nobles 
who  had  so  boldly  demanded  of  the  emperor  a  reform  of 
ecclesiastical  abuses,  and  who,  says  Luther,  "had  all  been 
freed  by  my  gospel."*  Enemies,  as  well  as  friends,  came  to 
look  upon  the  dauntless  monk;  but  he  received  them  with 
unshaken  calmness,  replying  to  all  with  dignity  and  wisdom. 
His  bearing  was  firm  and  courageous.  His  pale,  thin  face, 
marked  with  the  traces  of  toil  and  illness,  wore  a  kindly 
and  even  joyous  expression.  The  solemnity  and  deep  ear- 
nestness of  his  words  gave  him  a  power  that  even  his  ene- 
mies  could  not  wholly  withstand.  Both  friends  and  foes 
were  filled  with  wonder.  Some  were  convinced  that  a  divine 
influence  attended  him;  others  declared,  as  had  the  Phari- 
sees concerning  Christ,  "He  hath  a  devil." 

On  the  following  day,  Luther  was  summoned  to  attend 
the  Diet.  An  imperial  officer  was  appointed  to  conduct  him 
to  the  hall  of  audience;  yet  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he 
reached  the  place.  Every  avenue  was  crowded  with  spec- 
tators, eager  to  look  upon  the  monk  who  had  dared  resist 
the  authority  of  the  pope. 

As  he  was  about  to  enter  the  presence  of  his  judges,  an 
old  general,  the  hero  of  many  battles,  said  to  him  kindly: 
"Poor  monk,  poor  monk,  thou  art  now  going  to  make  a 
nobler  stand  than  I  or  any  other  captains  have  ever  made 
in  the  bloodiest  of  our  battles.     But  if  thy  cause  is  just, 

» D  'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 
'Martyn,  "Life  and  Times  of  Luther,"  p.  393. 


LUTHER  BEFORE   THE  DIET  155 

and  thou  art  sure  of  it,   go  forward   in   God's  name,   and 
fear  nothing.     God  will  not  forsake  thee."' 

At  length  Luther  stood  before  the  council.  The  emperor 
occupied  the  throne.  He  was  surrounded  by  the  most  illus- 
trious personages  in  the  empire.  Never  had  any  man  ap- 
peared in  the  presence  of  a  more  imposing  asseml)ly  than 
that  before  which  Martin  Luther  was  to  answer  for  his  faith. 
'  *  This  appearance  was  of  itself  a  signal  victory  over  the 
papacy.  The  pope  had  condemned  the  man,  and  he  was 
now  standing  before  a  tribunal  which,  by  this  very  act,  set 
itself  above  the  pope.  The  pope  had  laid  him  under  an 
interdict,  and  cut  him  off  from  all  human  society;  and  yet 
he  was  summoned  in  respectful  language,  and  received  be- 
fore the  most  august  assembly  in  the  world.  The  pope  had 
condemned  him  to  perpetual  silence,  and  he  was  now  about 
to  speak  before  thousands  of  attentive  hearers  drawn  to- 
gether from  the  farthest  parts  of  Christendom.  An  immense 
revolution  had  thus  been  effected  by  Luther's  instrumental- 
ity. Rome  was  already  descending  from  her  throne,  and  it 
was  the  voice   of  a  monk   that   caused   this  humiliation. ' '  * 

In  the  presence  of  that  powerful  and  titled  assembly,  the 
lowly-born  Reformer  seemed  awed  and  embarrassed.  Sev- 
eral of  the  princes,  observing  his  emotion,  approached  him, 
and  one  of  them  whispered,  "Fear  not  them  which  kill  the 
body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul."  Another  said, 
"When  ye  shall  be  brought  before  governors  and  kings  for 
My  sake,  it  shall  be  given  you,  by  the  Spirit  of  your  Father, 
what  ye  shall  say."  Thus  the  words  of  Christ  were  brought 
by  the  world's  great  men  to  strengthen  His  servant  in  the 
hour  of  trial. 

Luther  was  conducted  to  a  position  directly  in  front  of 
the  emperor's  throne.  A  deep  silence  fell  upon  the  crowded 
assembly.  Then  an  imperial  officer  arose,  and  pointing  to 
a  collection  of  Luther's  writings,  demanded  that  the  Re- 
former answer  two  questions, —  whether  he  acknowledged 
them  as  his,  and  whether  he  proposed  to  retract  the  opinions 
which  he  had  therein  advanced.  The  titles  of  the  books 
» D  'Aubign^,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 


156  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

having  been  read,  Luther  replied  that  as  to  the  first  question, 
he  acknowledged  the  books  to  be  his.  "As  to  the  second," 
he  said,  "seeing  that  it  is  a  question  which  concerns  faith 
and  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  in  which  the  word  of  God, 
the  greatest  and  most  precious  treasure  either  in  heaven 
or  earth,  is  interested,  I  should  act  imprudently  were  I  to 
reply  without  reflection.  I  might  affirm  less  than  the  cir- 
cumstance demands,  or  more  than  truth  requires,  and  so 
sin  against  this  saying  of  Christ:  'AVhosoever  shall  deny  Me 
before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  My  Father  which  is 
in  .  heaven. ' '  For  this  reason  I  entreat  your  imperial 
majesty,  with  all  humility,  to  allow  me  time,  that  I  may 
answer  without  offending  against  the  word  of   God. " "      ' 

In  making  this  request,  Luther  moved  wisely.  His  course 
convinced  the  assembly  that  he  did  not  act  from  passion  or 
impulse.  Such  calmness  and  self-command,  unexpected  in 
one  who  had  shown  himself  bold  and  uncompromising, 
added  to  his  power,  and  enabled  him  afterward  to  answer 
Avith  a  prudence,  decision,  wisdom,  and  dignity  that  sur- 
prised and  disappointed  his  adversaries,  ■  and  rebuked  their 
insolence  and  pride.  '-'  " 

The  next  day  he  was  to  appear  to  render  his  final  answer. 
For  a  time  his  heart  sunk  within  him  as  he  contemplated 
the  forces  that  were  combined  against  the  truth.  His  faitli 
faltered ;  fearfulness  and  trembling  came  upon  him,  and 
horror  overwhelmed  him.  Dangers  multiplied  before  him ; 
his  enemies  seemed  about  to  triumph,  and  the  powers  of 
darkness  to  prevail.  Clouds  gathered  about  him,  and  seemed 
to  separate  him  from  God.  He  longed  for  the  assurance 
that  the  Lord  of  hosts  would  be  with  him.  In  anguish  of 
spirit  he  threw  himself  with  his  face  upon  the  earth,  and 
poured  out  those  broken,  heart-rending  cries,  which  none 
but  God  can  fully  understand. 

"0   almighty  and   everlasting   God,"   he  pleaded,   "how 

terrible  is  this  world !    Behold,  it  openeth  its  mouth  tcj  swaU 

low  me  up,  and  I  have  so  little  trust  in  Thee.  ...  If  it  is 

only  in  the  strength  of  this  world  that  I  must  put  my  trust, 

^Matt.  10:33.  'D'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 


LUTHER   BEFORE   THE  DIET  157 

all  is  over.  ;  .  .  My  last  hour  is  come,  my  condemnation  has 
been  pronounced.  ...  0  God,  do  Thou  help  nie  against  all 
the  wisdom  of  the  world.  Do  this,  .  .  .  Thou  alone;  .  .  . 
for  this  is  not  my  work,  but  Thine.  I  have  nothing  to  do 
here,  nothing  to  contend  for  with  these  great  ones  of  the 
world.  .  .  .  But  the  cause  is  Thine,  ...  and  it  is  a  right- 
eous and  eternal  cause.  0  Lord,  help  me !  Faithful  and 
unchangeable  God,  in  no  man  do  I  place  my  trust.  .  .  . 
All  that  is  of  man  is  uncertain;  all  that  cometh  of  man  fails. 
.  ■ .  .  Thou  hast  chosen  me  for  this  work.  .  .  .  Stand  at  my 
side,  for  the  sake  of  Thy  well-beloved  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
my  defense,  my  shield,  and  my  strong  tower. ' '  * 

An  all-wise  Providence  had  permitted  Luther  to  realize 
his  peril,  that  he  might  not  trust  to  his  own  strength,  and 
rush  presumptuously  into  danger.  Yet  it  was  not  the  fear 
of  personal  suffering,  a  dread  of  torture  or  death,  which 
seemed  immediately  impending,  that  overwhelmed  him  with 
its  terror.  He  had  come  to  the  crisis,  and  he  felt  his  in- 
sufficiency to  meet  it.  Through  his  weakness  the  cause  of 
truth  might  suffer  loss.  Not  for  his  own  safety,  but  for 
the  triumph  of  the  gospel  did  he  wrestle  with  God.  Like 
Israel's,  in  that  night  struggle  beside  the  lonely  stream, 
was  the  anguish  and  conflict  of  his  soul.  Like  Israel,  he 
prevailed  with  God.  In  his  utter  helplessness  his  faith  fast- 
ened upon  Christ,  the  mighty  deliverer.  He  was  strength- 
ened with  the  assurance  that  he  would  not  appear  alone 
before  the  council.  Peace  returned  to  his  soul,  and  he 
rejoiced  that  he  was  permitted  to  uplift  the  word  of  God 
before  the  rulers  of  the  nation. 

With  his  mind  stayed  upon  God,  Luther  prepared  for 
the  struggle  before  him.  He  thought  upon  the  plan  of  his 
answer,  examined  passages  in  his  own  writings,  and  drew 
from .  the  Holy  Scriptures  suitable  proofs  to  sustain  his 
pdsitioris.  Then,  laying  his  left  hand  on  the  Sacred  Volume, 
which  was  open  before  him,  he  lifted  his  right  hand  to 
heaven,  and  vowed  "to  remain  faithful  to  the  gospel,  and 
*D'Aubigne,  b.   7,  ch.   8. 


^58  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

freely  to  confess  his  faith,   even  should  he  seal  his  testi- 
mony  with   his   blood. ' ' ' 

When  he  was  again  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  Diet, 
his  countenance  bore  no  trace  of  fear  or  embarrassment. 
Calm  and  peaceful,  yet  grandly  brave  and  noble,  he  stood 
as  God's  witness  among  the  great  ones  of  the  earth.  The 
imperial  officer  now  demanded  his  decision  as  to  whether 
he  desired  to  retract  his  doctrines.  Luther  made  his  an- 
swer in  a  subdued  and  humble  tone,  without  violence  or 
passion.  His  demeanor  was  diffident  and  respectful;  yet  he 
manifested  a  confidence  and  joy  that  surprised  the  assembly. 

' '  Most  serene  emperor,  illustrious  princes,  gracious  lords, ' ' 
said  'Luther,  ' '  I  appear  before  you  this  day,  in  conformity 
with  the  order  given  me  yesterday,  and  by  God's  mercies 
I  conjure  your  majesty  and  your  august  highnesses  to  listen 
graciously  to  the  defense  of  a  cause  which  I  am  assured  is 
just  and  true.  If,  through  ignorance,  I  should  transgress 
the  usages  and  proprieties  of  courts,  I  entreat  you  to  par- 
don me ;  for  I  Avas  not  brought  up  in  the  palaces  of  kings, 
but  in  the  seclusion  of  a  convent. ' ' ' 

Then,  proceeding  to  the  question,  he  stated  that  his  pub- 
lished works  were  not  all  of  the  same  character.  In  some 
he  had  treated  of  faith  and  good  works,  and  even  his  ene- 
mies declared  them  not  only  harmless  but  profitable.  To 
retract '  "these  would  be  to  condemn  truths  which  all  parties 
confessed.  The  second  class  consisted  of  writings  exposing 
the  corruptions  and  abuses  of  the  papacy.  To  revoke  these 
works  would  strengthen  the  tyranny  of  Rome,  and  open  a 
wider  door  to  many  and  groat  impieties.  In  the  third  class 
of  his  books  he  had  attacked  individuals  who  had  defended 
existing  evils.  Concerning  these  he  freely  confessed  that  he 
had  been  more  violent  than  was  becoming.  He  did  not 
claim  to  be  free  from  fault;  but  even  these  books  he  could 
not  revoke,  for  such  a  course  would  embolden  the  enemies 
of  truth,  and  they  would  then  take  occasion  to  crush  God's 
people  with  still  greater  cruelty. 

»D'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 


LUTHER   BEFORE  THE  DIET  159 

"Yet  I  am  but  a  mere  man,  and  not  God,"  he  con- 
tinued; "I  shall  therefore  defend  myself  as  Christ  did: 
'If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the  evil.'  .  .  .  By 
the  mercy  of  God,  I  conjure  you,  most  serene  emperor, 
and  you,  most  illustrious  princes,  and  all  men  of  every 
degree,  to  prove  from  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and 
apostles  that  I  have  erred.  As  soon  as  I  am  convinced  of 
this,  I  will  retract  every  error,  and  be  the  first  to  lay  hold 
of  my  books   and   throw  them   into   the   fire. 

"What  I  have  just  said  plainly  shows,  I  hope,  that  I. 
have  carefully  weighed  and  considered  the  dangers  to  which 
I  expose  myself;  but  far  from  being  dismayed,  I  rejoice 
to  see  that  the  gospel  is  now,  as  in  former  times,  a  cause 
of  trouble  and  dissension.  This  is  the  character,  this  is 
•the  destiny,  of  the  word  of  God,  'I  came  not  to  send 
peace  on  earth,  but  a  sword,'  said  Jesus  Christ.  God  is 
wonderful  and  terrible  in  His  counsels;  beware  lest,  by 
presuming  to  quench  dissensions,  you  should  persecute  the 
holy  word  of  God,  and  draw  down  upon  yourselves  a  fright- 
ful deluge  of  insurmountable  dangers,  of  present  disasters, 
and  eternal  desolation.  ...  I  might  quote  many  examples 
from  the  oracles  of  God.  I  might  speak  of  the  Pharaohs, 
the  kings  of  Babylon,  and  those  of  Israel,  whose  labors 
never  more  effectually  contributed  to  their  own  destruction 
than  when  they  sought  by  counsels,  to  all  appearance  most 
wise,  to  strengthen  their  dominion.  'God  removeth  moun- 
tains, and  they  know  it  not. '  "  * 

Luther  had  spoken  in  German;  he  was  now  requested  to 
repeat  the  same  words  in  Latin.  Though  exhausted  by  the 
previous  effort,  he  complied,  and  again  delivered  his  speech, 
with  the  same  clearness  and  energy  as  at  the  first.  God's 
providence  directed  in  this  matter.  The  minds  of  many  of 
the  princes  were  so  ])linded  by  error  and  superstition  that 
at  the  first  delivery  they  did  not  see  the  force  of  Luther's 
reasoning ;  but  the  repetition  enabled  them  to  perceive  clearly 
the  points  presented. 

'  D  'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  8, 


160  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Those  who  stubbornly  closed  their  eyes  to  the  light,  and 
determined  not  to  be  convinced  of  the  truth,  were  enraged 
at  the  power  of  Luther's  words.  As  he  ceased  speaking, 
the  spokesman  of  the  Diet  said  angrily,  "You  have  not  an- 
swered the  question  put  to  you.  .  .  .  You  are  required  to 
give  a  clear  and  precise  answer.  .  .  .  Will  you,  or  will  you 
not,    retract?"  '■"'    '    ^'^^^^  «^UaOfifi 

The  Reformer  answered:  "Since  your  most  ^erend 
majesty  and  your  high  mightinesses  require  from  me  a 
clear,  simple,  and  precise  answer,  I  will  give  you  one,  and 
it  is  this:  I  cannot  submit  my  faith  either  to  the  pope 
or  to  the  councils,  because  it  is  clear  as  the  day  that  they 
have  frequently  erred  and  contradicted  each  other.  Unles^ 
therefore  I  am  convinced  by  the  testimony  of  Scripture 
or  by  the  clearest  reasoning,  unless  I  am  persuaded  by 
means  of  the  passages  I  have  quoted,  and  unless  they  thus 
render  my  conscience  bound  by  the  word  of  God,  7  ca7i- 
not  and  I  will  not  retract,  for  it  is  unsafe  for  a  Chris- 
tian to  speak  against  his  conscience.  Here  I  stand.  I  can 
do  no  other;  may  God  help  me.     Amen."*'    '"  '*?4*'''''  i^J ' 

Thus  stood  this  righteous  man,  upon  the  su're  f6'dil'dal!i6'Q 
of  the  word  of  God.  The  light  of  heaven  illuminated  his 
countenance.  His  greatness  and  purity  of  character,  his 
peace  and  joy  of  heart,  were  manifest  to  all  as  he  testified 
against  the  po\ver  of  error,  and  witnessed  to  the  superiority 
of  that  faith  that  overcomes  the  world.  ' 

The  whole  assembly  were  for  a  time  speechless  with 
amazement.  At  his  first  answer,  Luther  had  spoken  in  a 
low  tone,  with  a  respectful,  almost  submissive  bearing.  The 
Romanists  had  interpreted  this  as  e\'idence  that  his  cour- 
age was  beginning  to  fail.  They  regarded  the  request  for 
delay  as  merely  the  prelude  to  his  recantation.  Charles  him- 
self, noting,  half  contemptuously,  the  monk's  worn  frame, 
his  plain  attire,  and  the  simplicity  of  his  address,  had  de- 
clared, "This  monk  will  never  make  a  heretic  of  me."  The 
courage  and  firmness  which  he  now  displayed,  as  well  as  the 
power  and  clearness  of  his  reasoning,  filled  all  parties  with 

"D'Aubigue,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 


LUTHER  BEFORE  THE  DIET  lei 

surprise.  The  emperor,  moved  to  admiration,  exclaimed, 
"This  monk  speaks  with  an  intrepid  heart  and  unshaken 
courage."  Many  of  the  German  princes  looked  with  pride 
and  joy  upon  this  representative  of  their  nation. 

The  partisans  of  Rome  had  been  worsted;  their  cause 
appeared  in  a  most  unfavorable  light.  They  sought  to 
maintain  their  power,  not  by  appealing  to  the  Scriptures, 
but  by  a  resort  to  threats,  Rome's  unfailing  argument. 
Said  the  spokesman  of  the  Diet,  "If  you  do  not  retract,  the 
emperor  and  the  states  of  the  empire  will  consult  what 
course  to  adopt  against  an  incorrigible  heretic." 

Luther's  friends,  who  had  with  great  joy  listened  to  his 
noble  defense,  trembled  at  these  words;  but  the  doctor  him- 
self said  calmly,  "May  God  be  my  helper,  for  I  can  retract 
nothing. " ' 

He  was  directed  to  withdraw  from  the  Diet,  while  the 
princes  consulted  together.  It  was  felt  that  a  great  crisis 
had  come.  Luther's  persistent  refusal  to  submit,  might 
affect  the  history  of  the  church  for  ages.  It  was  decided  to 
give  him  one  more  opportunity  to  retract.  For  the  last 
time  he  was  brought  into  the  assembly.  Again  the  question 
was  put,  whether  he  would  renounce  his  doctrines,  "I  have 
no  other  reply  to  make,"  he  said,  "than  that  which  I  have 
already  made."  It  was  evident  that  he  could  not  be  in- 
duced, either  by  promises  or  threats,  to  yield  to  the  man- 
date of  Rome. 

The  papal  leaders  were  chagrined  that  their  power,  which 
had  caused  kings  and  nobles  to  tremble,  should  be  thus 
despised  by  a  humble  monk;  they  longed  to  make  him  feel 
their  wrath  by  torturing  his  life  away.  But  Luther,  un- 
derstanding his  danger,  had  spoken  to  all  with  Christian 
dignity  and  calmness.  His  words  had  been  free  from  pride, 
passion,  and  misrepresentation.  lie  had  lost  sight  of  him- 
self, and  of  the  great  men  surrounding  him,  and  felt  only 
that  he  was  in  the  presence  of  One  infinitely  superior  to 
popes,  prelates,  kings,  and  emperors.  Christ  had  spoken 
through  Luther's  testimony  with  a  power  and  graudeur  that 

*  D  'Aubign6,  b.  7,  ch.  8. 


162  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

for  the  time  inspired  both  friends  and  foes  with  awe  and 
wonder.  The  Spirit  of  God  had  been  present  in  that  council, 
impressing  the  hearts  of  the  chiefs  of  the  empire.  Several 
of  the  princes  boldly  acknowledged  the  justice  of  Lutlier's 
cause.  Many  were  convinced  of  the  truth ;  but  vsdtli  some  the 
impressions  received  were  not  lasting.  There  was  another 
class  who  did  not  at  the  time  express  their  convictions,  but 
who,  having  searched  the  Scriptures  for  themselves,  at  a 
future  time  became  fearless  supporters  of  the  Reformation. 

The  elector  Frederick  had  looked  forward  anxiously  to 
Luther's  appearance  before  the  Diet,  and  with  deep  emotion 
he  listened  to  his  speech.  With  joy  and  pride  he  witnessed 
the  doctor's  courage,  firmness,  and  self-possession,  and  deter- 
mined to  stand  more  firmly  in  his  defense.  He  contrasted 
the  parties  in  contest,  and  saw  that  the  wisdom  of  popes, 
kings,  and  prelates  had  been  brought  to  naught  by  the 
power  of  truth.  The  papacy  had  sustained  a  defeat  which 
would  be  felt  among  all  nations  and  in  all  ages. 

As  the  legate  perceived  the  effect  produced  by  Luther's 
speech,  he  feared,  as  never  before,  for  the  security  of  the 
Romish  power,  and  resolved  to  employ  every  means  at  his 
command  to  effect  the  Reformer's  overthrow.  With  all  the 
eloquence  and  diplomatic  skill  for  which  he  was  so  emi- 
nently distinguished,  he  represented  to  the  youthful  emperor 
the  folly  and  danger  of  sacrificing,  in  the  cause  of  an  insig- 
nificant monk,  the  friendship  and  support  of  the  powerful 
see  of  Rome. 

His  words  were  not  without  effect.  On  the  day  following 
Luther's  answer,  Charles  caused  a  message  to  be  presented 
to  the  Diet,  announcing  his  determination  to  carry  out  the 
policy  of  his  predecessors  to  maintain  and  protect  the  Cath- 
olic religion.  Since  Luther  had  refused  to  renounce  his 
errors,  the  most  vigorous  measures  should  be  employed 
against  him  and  the  heresies  he  taught.  "A  single  monk, 
misled  by  his  own  folly,  has  risen  against  the  faith  of 
Christendom.  To  stay  such  impiety,  I  \nll  sacrifice  my 
kingdoms,  my  treasures,  my  friends,  my  body,   my  blood, 


LUTHER  BEFORE   THE  DIET  163 

my  soul,  and  my  life.  I  am  about  to  dismiss  the  Augustine 
Luther,  forbidding  him  to  cause  the  least  disorder  among 
the  people;  I  shall  then  proceed  against  him  and  his  ad- 
herents as  contumacious  heretics,  by  excommunication,  by 
interdict,  and  by  every  means  calculated  to  destroy  them. 
I  call  on  the  members  of  the  states  to  behave  like  faithful 
Christians. ' '  *  Nevertheless  the  emperor  declared  that  Lu- 
ther's safe-conduct  must  be  respected,  and  that  before  pro- 
ceedings against  him  could  be  instituted,  he  must  be  allowed 
to  reach  his  home  in  safety. 

Two  conflicting  opinions  were  now  urged  by  the  members 
of  the  Diet.  The  emissaries  and  representatives  of  the  pope 
again  demanded  that  the  Reformer's  safe-conduct  should  be 
disregarded.  "The  Rhine,"  they  said,  "should  receive  his 
ashes,  as  it  had  received  those  of  John  Huss  a  century  ago. ' '  * 
But  princes  of  Germany,  though  themselves  papists  and 
avowed  enemies  to  Luther,  protested  against  such  a  breach 
of  public  faith,  as  a  stain  upon  the  honor  of  the  nation. 
They  pointed  to  the  calamities  which  had  followed  the 
death  of  Huss,  and  declared  that  they  dared  not  call  down 
upon  Germany,  and  upon  the  head  of  their  youthful  em- 
peror, a  repetition  of  those  terrible  evils. 

Charles  himself,  in  answer  to  the  base  proposal,  said, 
"Though  honor  and  faith  should  be  banished  from  all  the 
world,  they  ought  to  find  a  refuge  in  the  hearts  of  princes. ' ' ' 
He  was  still  further  urged  by  the  most  bitter  of  Luther's 
papal  enemies  to  deal  with  the  Reformer  as  Sigismund  had 
dealt  with  Huss, —  abandon  liim  to  the  mercies  of  the 
church;  but  recalling  the  scene  when  Huss  in  public  assem- 
bly had  pointed  to  his  chains  and  reminded  the  monarch 
of  his  plighted  faith,  Charles  V.  declared,  "I  should  not 
like  to  blush  like  Sigismund. ' '  ^ 

Yet  Charles  had  deliberately  rejected  the  truths  pre- 
sented by  Luther.  "I  am  firmly  resolved  to  imitate  the 
example  of  my  ancestors,"*  wrote  the  monarch.  He  had 
decided  that  he  would  not  step  out  of  the  path  of  custom, 

*D'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  9.  *See  Lenfant,  "History  of  the 

Council  of  Constance,"  Vol.  I,  p.  422. 


164  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

even  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  truth  and  righteousness.  Be- 
cause his  fathers  did,  he  would  uphold  the  papacy,  with  all 
its  cruelty  and  corruption.  Thus  he  took  his  position,  refus- 
ing to  accept  any  light  in  advance  of  what  his  fathers  had  re- 
ceived, or  to  perform  any  duty  that  they  had  not  performed. 

There  are  many  at  the  present  day  thus  clinging  to  the 
customs  and  traditions  of  their  fathers.  When  the  Lord 
sends  them  additional  light,  they  refuse  to  accept  it,  because, 
not  having  been  granted  to  their  fathers,  it  was  not  received 
by  them.  We  are  not  placed  where  our  fathers  were;  con- 
sequently our  duties  and  responsibilities  are  not  the  same 
as  theirs.  We  shall  not  be  approved  of  God  in  looking  to 
the  example  of  our  fathers  to  determine  our  duty  instead  of 
searching  the  Word  of  truth  for  ourselves.  Our  responsi- 
bility is  greater  than  was  that  of  our  ancestors.  We  are 
accountable  for  the  light  which  they  received,  and  which 
was  handed  down  as  an  inheritance  for  us,  and  we  are  ac- 
countable also  for  the  additional  light  which  is  now  shining 
upon  us  from  the  word  of  God. 

Said  Christ  of  the  unbelieving  Jews,  "If  I  had  not  come 
and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin :  but  now  they 
have  no  cloak  for  their  sin."^  The  same  divine  power  had 
spoken  through  Luther  to  the  emperor  and  princes  of  Ger- 
many. And  as  the  light  shone  forth  from  God's  word,  his 
Spirit  pleaded  for  the  last  time  with  many  in  that  assembly. 
As  Pilate,  centuries  before,  permitted  pride  and  popularity 
to  close  his  heart  against  the  world's  Redeemer;  as  the 
trembling  Felix  bade  the  messenger  of  truth,  "Go  thy  way 
for  this  time ;  when  I  have  a  convenient  season,  I  will  call 
for  thee;"  as  the  proud  Agrippa  confessed,  "Almost  thou 
persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian, ' ' '  yet  turned  away  from 
the  Heaven-sent  message, —  so  had  Charles  V.,  yielding 
to  the  dictates  of  worldly  pride  and  policy,  decided  to 
reject  the  light  of  truth. 

Rumors  of  the  designs  against  Luther  were  wddely  circu- 
lated, causing  great  excitement  throughout  the  city.  The 
'John  15:22.  » Acts  24:25;  26:28. 


LUTHER  BEFORE  THE  DIET  165 

Reformer  had  made  many  friends,  who,  knowing  the  treach- 
erous cruelty  of  Rome  toward  all  who  dared  expose  her 
corruptions,  resolved  that  he  should  not  be  sacrificed.  Hun- 
dreds of  nobles  pledged  themselves  to  protect  him.  Not  a 
few  openly  denounced  the  royal  message  as  evincing  a  weak 
submission  to  the  controlling  power  of  Rome.  On  the  gates 
of  houses  and  in  public  places,  placards  were  posted,  some 
condemning  and  others  sustaining  Luther.  On  one  of  these 
were  written  merely  the  significant  words  of  the  wise  man, 
' '  Woe  to  thee,  0  land,  when  thy  king  is  a  child. ' '  *  The  pop- 
ular enthusiasm  in  Luther's  favor  throughout  all  Germany 
convinced  both  the  emperor  and  the  Diet  that  any  injustice 
shown  him  would  endanger  the  peace  of  the  empire,  and 
even  the  stability  of  the  throne. 

Frederick  of  Saxony  maintained  a  studied  reserve,  care- 
fully concealing  his  real  feelings  toward  the  Reformer,  while 
at  the  same  time  he  guarded  him  with  tireless  vigilance, 
watching  all  his  movements  and  all  those  of  his  enemies. 
But  there  were  many  who  made  no  attempt  to  conceal 
their  sympathy  with  Luther.  He  was  visited  by  princes, 
counts,  barons,  and  other  persons  of  distinction,  both  lay 
and  ecclesiastical.  "The  doctor's  little  room,"  wrote  Spala- 
tin,  "could  not  contain  all  the  visitors  who  presented  them- 
selves."^ The  people  gazed  upon  him  as  if  he  were  more 
than  human.  Even  those  who  had  no  faith  in  his  doctrines, 
could  not  but  admire  that  lofty  integrity  which  led  him  to 
brave  death  rather  than  violate  his  conscience. 

Earnest  efforts  were  made  to  obtain  Luther's  consent  to  a 
compromise  with  Rome.  Nobles  and  princes  represented  to 
him  that  if  he  persisted  in  setting  up  his  oanti  judgment 
against  that  of  the  church  and  the  councils,  he  would  soon 
be  banished  from  the  empire,  and  then  would  have  no 
defense.  To  this  appeal  Luther  answered:  "The  gospel  of 
Christ  cannot  be  preached  without  offense.  .  .  .  Why  then 
should  the  fear  or  apprehension  of  danger  separate  me  from 
the  Lord,  and  from  that  divine  word  which  alone  is  truth? 

'Eccl.  10:16.  -Martyn,  Vol.  I,  p.  404. 


166  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

No;  I  would  rather  give  up  my  body,  my  blood,  and  my 
life."' 

Again  he  was  urged  to  submit  to  the  judgment  of  the 
emperor,  and  then  he  would  have  nothing  to  fear.  ''I  con- 
sent," said  he  in  reply,  "with  all  my  heart,  that  the  emperor, 
the  princes,  and  even  the  meanest  Christian,  should  examine 
and  judge  my  works;  but  on  one  condition,  that  they  take 
the  word  of  God  for  their  standard.  ]\Ien  have  nothing  to 
do  but  to  obey  it.  Do  not  offer  violence  to  my  conscience, 
which  is  bound  and  chained  up  with  the  Holy  Scriptures."* 

To  another  appeal  he  said,  "I  consent  to  renounce  my 
safe-conduct.  I  place  my  person  and  my  life  in  the  em- 
peror's hands,  but  the  Avord  of  God  —  never!"'  He  stated 
his  willingness  to  submit  to  the  decision  of  a  general  coun- 
cil, but  only  on  condition  that  the  council  be  required  to 
decide  according  to  the  Scriptures.  "In  what  concerns  the 
word  of  God  and  the  faith,"  he  added,  "every  Christian  is 
as  good  a  judge  as  the  pope,  though  supported  by  a  million 
councils,  can  be  for  him. ' '  ^  Both  friends  and  foes  were  at 
last  convinced  that  further  effort  for  reconciliation  would 
be  useless. 

Had  the  Reformer  yielded  a  single  point,  Satan  and  his 
hosts  would  have  gained  the  victory.  But  his  unwavering 
firmness  was  the  moans  of  emancipating  the  church,  and 
beginning  a  new  and  better  era.  The  influence  of  this  one 
man,  who  dared  to  think  and  act  for  himself  in  religious 
matters,  was  to  affect  the  church  and  the  world,  not  only  in 
his  ovm.  time,  but  in  all  future  generations.  His  firmness 
and  fidelity  would  strengthen  all,  to  the  close  of  time,  who 
should  pass  through  a  similar  experience.  The  power  and 
majesty  of  God  stood  forth  above  the  counsel  of  men,  above 
the  mighty  power  of  Satan, 

Luther  was  soon  commanded  by  the  authority  of  the  em- 
peror to  return  home,  and  he  knew  that  this  notice  would  be 
speedily  followed  by  his  condemnation.  Threatening  clouds 
overhung  his  path;  but  as  he  departed  from  Worms,   his 

^D'Aubigne,  b.   7,  ch.   10.  *Martyn,  Vol,  I,     p.  410. 


LUTHER  BEFORE  THE  DIET  167 

heart  was  filled  with  joy  and  praise.  "The  devil  himself," 
said  he,  "guarded  the  jjope's  citadel;  but  Christ  has  made  a 
wide  breach  in  it,  and  Satan  was  constrained  to  confess  that 
the  Lord  is  mightier  than  he, ' ' ' 

After  his  departure,  still  desirous  that  his  firmness  should 
not  be  mistaken  for  rebellion,  Luther  wrote  to  the  em- 
peror. "God,  who  is  the  searcher  of  hearts,  is  my  witness," 
he  said,  "that  I  am  ready  most  earnestly  to  obey  your 
majesty,  in  honor  or  in  dishonor,  in  life  or  in  death,  and 
with  no  exception  save  the  word  of  God,  by  which  man  lives. 
In  all  the  afi'airs  of  this  present  life,  my  fidelity  shall  be 
unshaken,  for  here  to  lose  or  to  gain  is  of  no  consequence  to 
salvation.  But  when  eternal  interests  are  concerned,  God 
wills  not  that  man  should  submit  unto  man.  For  such  sub- 
mission in  spiritual  matters  is  a  real  worship,  and  ought 
to  be   rendered  solely  to   the   Creator. ' '  * 

On  the  journey  from  Worms,  Luther's  reception  was  even 
more  flattering  than  during  his  progress  thither.  Princely 
ecclesiastics  welcomed  the  excommunicated  monk,  and  civil 
rulers  honored  the  man  whom  the  emperor  had  denounced. 
He  was  urged  to  preach,  and  notwithstanding  the  imperial 
prohibition,  he  again  entered  the  pulpit.  "I  never  pledged 
myself  to  chain  up  the  word  of  God,"  he  said,  "nor  will  I."" 

He  had  not  been  long  absent  from  Worms,  when  the 
papists  prevailed  upon  the  emperor  to  issue  an  edict  against 
him.  In  this  decree  Luther  was  denounced  as  "Satan  him- 
self under  the  form  of  a  man  and  dressed  in  a  monk's 
frock. "  ^  It  was  commanded  that  as  soon  as  his  safe-con- 
duct should  expire,  measures  be  taken  to  stop  his  work. 
All  persons  were  forbidden  to  harbor  him,  to  give  him  food 
or  drink,  or  by  word  or  act,  in  public  or  private,  to  aid 
or  abet  him.  He  was  to  be  seized  wherever  he  might  be, 
and  delivered  to  the  authorities.  His  adherents  also  were 
to  be  imprisoned,  and  their  property  confiscated.  His  writ- 
ings were  to  be  destroyed,  and  finally,  all  who  should 
» D  'Aubigne,  b.  7,  ch.  11.  »  Martyn,  Vol.  I,  p.  420. 


168  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

dare  to  act  contrary  to  this  decree  were  included  in  its  con- 
demnation. The  elector  of  Saxony,  and  the  princes  most 
friendly  to  Luther,  had  left  Worms  soon  after  his  depar- 
ture, and  the  emperor's  decree  received  the  sanction  of  the 
Diet.  Now  the  Romanists  were  jubilant.  They  considered 
the  fate  of  the  Reformation  sealed. 

God  had  provided  a  way  of  escape  for  His  servant  in  this 
hour  of  peril.  A  vig^ilant  eye  had  followed  Luther's  move- 
ments, and  a  true  and  noble  heart  had  resolved  upon  his 
rescue.  It  was  plain  that  Rome  would  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  his  death;  only  by  concealment  could  he 
be  preserved  from  the  jaws  of  the  lion.  God  gave  wisdom 
to  Frederick  of  Saxony  to  devise  a  plan  for  the  Reformer's 
preservation.  With  the  co-operation  of  true  friends,  the 
elector's  purpose  was  carried  out,  and  Luther  was  effectually 
hidden  from  friends  and  foes.  Upon  his  homeward  journey, 
he  was  seized,  separated  from  his  attendants,  and  hurriedly 
conveyed  through  the  forest  to  the  castle  of  Wartburg,  an 
isolated  mountain  fortress.  Both  his  seizure  and  his  con- 
cealment were  so  involved  in  mystery  that  even  Frederick 
himself  for  a  long  time  knew  not  whither  he  had  been  con- 
ducted. This  ignorance  was  not  without  design;  so  long  as 
the  elector  knew  nothing  of  Luther's  whereabouts,  he  could 
reveal  nothing.  He  satisfied  himself  that  the  Reformer  was 
safe,  and  with  this  knowledge  he  was  content. 

Spring,  summer,  and  autumn  passed,  and  winter  came, 
and  Luther  still  remained  a  prisoner.  Aleander  and  his 
partisans  exulted  as  the  light  of  the  gospel  seemed  about 
to  be  extinguished.  But  instead  of  this,  the  Reformer  was 
filling  his  lamp  from  the  storehouse  of  truth;  and  its  light 
was  to  shine  forth  with  brighter  radiance. 

In  the  friendly  security  of  the  Wartburg,  Luther  for  a 
time  rejoiced  in  his  release  from  the  heat  and  turmoil  of 
battle.  But  he  could  not  long  find  satisfaction  in  quiet  and 
repose.  Accustomed  to  a  life  of  activity  and  stern  conflict, 
he  could  ill  endure  to  remain  inactive.  In  those  solitary 
days,  the  condition  of  the  church  rose  up  before  him,  and 


LUTHER  BEFORE   THE  DIET  169 

he  cried  in  despair,  "Alas!  there  is  no  one  in  this  latter  day 
of  His  anger,  to  stand  like  a  wall  before  the  Lord,  and  save 
Israel!"'  Again,  his  thoughts  returned  to  himself,  and  he 
feared  being  charged  with  cowardice  in  withdrawing  from 
the  contest.  Then  he  reproached  himself  for  his  indolence 
and  self-indulgence.  Yet  at  the  same  time  he  was  daily  ac- 
complishing more  than  it  seemed  possible  for  one  man  to 
do.  Ilis  pen  was  never  idle.  While  his  enemies  flattered 
themselves  that  he  Avas  silenced,  they  were  astonished  and 
confused  by  tangi])le  proof  that  he  was  still  active.  A  host 
of  tracts,  issuing  from  his  pen,  circulated  throughout  Ger- 
many. He  also  performed  a  most  important  service  for  his 
countrymen  by  translating  the  New  Testament  into  the  Ger- 
man tongue.  From  his  rocky  Patmos  he  continued  for 
nearly  a  whole  year  to  proclaim  the  gospel,  and  rebuke  the 
sins  and  errors  of  the  times. 

But  it  was  not  merely  to  preserve  Luther  from  the  wrath 
of  his  enemies,  nor  even  to  afford  him  a  season  of  quiet  for 
these  important  labors,  that  God  had  withdrawn  His  servant 
from  the  stage  of  public  life.  There  were  results  more  pre- 
cious than  these  to  be  secured.  In  the  solitude  and  ob- 
scurity of  his  mountain  retreat,  Luther  was  removed  from 
earthly  supports,  and  shut  out  from  human  praise.  He  was 
thus  saved  from  the  pride  and  self-confidence  that  are  so 
often  caused  by  success.  By  suffering  and  humiliation  he 
was  prepared  again  to  walk  safely  upon  the  dizzy  heights 
to  which  he  had  been  so  suddenly  exalted. 

As  men  rejoice  in  the  freedom  which  the  truth  brings 
them,  they  are  inclined  to  extol  those  whom  God  has  em- 
ployed to  break  the  chains  of  error  and  superstition.  Satan 
seeks  to  divert  men's  thoughts  and  affections  from  God,  and 
to  fix  them  upon  human  agencies ;  he  leads  them '  to  honor 
the  mere  instrument,  and  to  ignore  the  Hand  that  directs 
all  the  events  of  providence.  Too  often,  religious  leaders 
who  are  thus  praised  and  reverenced  lose  sight  of  their  de- 
pendence upon  God,  and  are  led  to  trust  in  themselves.  As 
*D'Aubign6,  b.  9,  ch.  2. 


170 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


a  result,  they  seek  to  control  the  minds  and  consciences  of 
the  people,  who  are  disposed  to  look  to  them  for  guidance 
instead  of  looking  to  the  word  of  God.  The  work  of  reform 
is  often  retarded  because  of  this  spirit  indulged  by  its 
supporters.  From  this  danger,  God  would  guard  the  cause 
of  the  Reformation.  He  desired  that  work  to  receive,  not 
the  impress  of  man,  but  that  of  God.  The  eyes  of  men  had 
been  turned  to  Luther  as  the  expounder  of  the  truth;  he 
was  removed  that  all  eyes  might  be  directed  to  the  eternal 
Author  of  truth. 


THE   SWISS    REFORMER-9 

In  the  choice  of  instrumentalities  for  the  reforming  of 
the  church,  the  same  divine  plan  is  seen  as  in  that  for  the 
planting  of  the  church.  The  heavenly  Teacher  passed  by 
the  great  men  of  earth,  the  titled  and  wealthy,  who  were 
accustomed  to  receive  praise  and  homage  as  leaders  of  the 
people.  They  were  so  proud  and  self-confident  in  their 
boasted  superiority  that  they  could  not  be  moulded  to  sym- 
pathize with  their  fellow-men,  and  to  become  co-laborers 
with  the  humble  ]\Ian  of  Nazareth.  To  the  unlearned, 
toiling  fishermen  of  Galilee  was  the  call  addressed,  "Follow 
Me,  and  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men. ' '  *  These  disciples 
were  humble  and  teachable.  The  less  they  had  been  influ- 
enced by  the  false  teaching  of  their  time,  the  more  success- 
fully could  Christ  instruct  and  train  them  for  His  service. 
So  in  the  days  of  the  Great  Reformation.  The  leading 
Reformers  were  men  from  humble  life, —  men  who  were  most 
free  of  any  of  their  time  from  pride  of  rank,  and  from  the 
influence  of  bigotry  and  priestcraft.  It  is  God's  plan  to 
employ  humble  instruments  to  accomplish  great  results. 
Then  the  glory  will  not  be  given  to  men,  but  to  Plim  who 
works  through  them  to  will  and  to  do  of  His  own  good 
pleasure. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  birth  of  Luther  in  a  miner's  cabin 
in  Saxony,  Ulric  Zwingle  was  born  in  a  herdsman's  cottage 
among  the  Alps.     Zwingle 's  surroundings  in  childhood,  and 

»Matt.  4:19. 

(171) 


172  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

his  early  training,  were  such  as  to  prepare  him  for  his 
future  mission.  Reared  amid  scenes  of  natural  grandeur, 
beauty,  and  awful  sublimity,  his  mind  was  early  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  the  greatness,  the  power,  and  the  majesty  of 
God.  The  history  of  the  brave  deeds  achieved  upon  his 
native  mountains,  kindled  his  youthful  aspirations.  And 
at  the  side  of  his  pious  grandmother  he  listened  to  the  few 
precious  Bible  stories  which  she  had  gleaned  from  amid  the 
legends  and  traditions  of  the  church.  With  eager  interest 
he  heard  of  the  grand  deeds  of  patriarchs  and  prophets,  of 
the  shepherds  who  watched  their  flocks  on  the  hills  of  Pales- 
tine where  angels  talked  with  them,  of  the  Babe  of  Bethle- 
hem and  the  Man  of  Calvary. 

Like  John  Luther,  Zwingle's  father  desired  an  education 
for  his  son,  and  the  boy  was  early  sent  from  his  native  val- 
ley. His  mind  rapidly  developed,  and  it  soon  became  a 
question  where  to  find  teachers  competent  to  instruct  him. 
At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  went  to  Bern,  which  then  pos- 
sessed the  most  distinguished  school  in  Switzerland,  Here, 
however,  a  danger  arose  which  threatened  to  blight  the 
promise  of  his  life.  Determined  efforts  were  put  forth  by 
the  friars  to  allure  him  into  a  monastery.  The  Dominican 
and  Franciscan  monks  were  in  rivalry  for  popular  favor. 
This  they  endeavored  to  secure  by  the  showy  adornments 
of  their  churches,  the  pomp  of  their  ceremonials,  and  the 
attractions  of  famous  relics  and  miracle-working  images. 

The  Dominicans  of  Bern  saw  that  if  they  could  win  this 
talented  young  scholar,  they  would  secure  both  gain  and 
honor.  His  extreme  youth,  his  natural  ability  as  a  speaker 
and  writer,  and  his  genius  for  music  and  poetry,  would  be 
more  effective  than  all  their  pomp  and  display,  in  attract- 
ing the  people  to  their  services  and  increasing  the  revenues 
of  their  order.  By  deceit  and  flattery  they  endeavored  to 
induce  Zwingle  to  enter  their  convent.  Luther,  while  a  stu- 
dent at  school,  had  buried  himself  in  a  convent  cell,  and  he 
would  have  been  lost  to  the  world  had  not  God's  providence 
released  him.     Z\vingle  was  not  permitted  to  encounter  the 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  173 

same  peril.  Providentially  his  father  received  information 
of  the  designs  of  the  friars.  He  had  no  intention  of  allow- 
ing his  son  to  follow  the  idle  and  worthless  life  of  the 
monks.  He  saw  that  his  future  usefulness  was  at  stake, 
and  directed  him  to  return  home  without  delay. 

The  command  was  obeyed;  but  the  youth  could  not  be 
long  content  in  his  native  valley,  and  he  soon  resumed  his 
studies,  repairing,  after  a  time,  to  Basel.  It  was  here  that 
Zwingle  first  heard  the  gospel  of  God's  free  grace.  Wittem- 
baeh,  a  teacher  of  the  ancient  languages,  had,  while  studying 
Greek  and  Hebrew,  been  led  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
thus  rays  of  divine  light  were  shed  into  the  minds  of  the 
students  under  his  instruction.  He  declared  that  there  was 
a  truth  more  ancient,  and  of  infinitely  greater  worth,  than 
the  theories  taught  by  schoolmen  and  philosophers.  This 
ancient  truth  was  that  the  death  of  Christ  is  the  sinner's 
only  ransom.  To  Zwingle  these  words  were  as  the  first 
ray  of  light  that  precedes  the  dawn. 

Zwingle  was  soon  called  from  Basel,  to  enter  upon  his 
life-work.  His  first  field  of  labor  was  in  an  Alpine  parish, 
not  far  distant  from  his  native  valley.  Having  received 
ordination  as  a  priest,  he  "devoted  himself  with  his  whole 
soul  to  the  search  after  divine  truth;  for  he  was  well 
aware,"  says  a  fellow-reformer,  "how  much  he  must  know 
to  whom  the  flock  of  Christ  is  entrusted."'  The  more  he 
searched  the  Scriptures,  the  clearer  appeared  the  contrast 
between  their  truths  and  the  heresies  of  Rome.  He  sub- 
mitted himself  to  the  Bible  as  the  word  of  God,  the  only 
sufficient,  infallible  rule.  He  saw  that  it  must  be  its  own 
interpreter.  He  dared  not  attempt  to  explain  Scripture  to 
sustain  a  preconceived  theory  or  doctrine,  but  held  it  his 
duty  to  learn  what  is  its  direct  and  obvious  teaching.  He 
sought  to  avail  himself  of  every  help  to  obtain  a  full  and 
correct  understanding  of  its  meaning,  and  he  invoked  the 
aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  would,  he  declared,  reveal 
it  to  all  who  sought  it  in  sincerity  and  with  prayer. 
»Wylie,  b.  8,  cb.  5. 


174  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"The  Scriptures,"  said  Zwingle,  "come  from  God,  not 
from  man,  and  even  that  God  who  enlightens  will  give  thee 
to  understand  that  the  speech  comes  from  God.  The  word  of 
God  ,  .  .  cannot  fail ;  it  is  bright,  it  teaches  itself,  it  dis- 
closes itself,  it  illumines  the  soul  with  all  salvation  and 
grace,  comforts  it  in  God,  humbles  it,  so  that  it  loses 
and  even  forfeits  itself,  and  embraces  God. ' ' '  The  truth  of 
these  words  Zwingle  himself  had  proved.  Speaking  of  his 
experience  at  this  time,  he  afterward  wrote :  ' '  When  ...  I 
began  to  give  myself  wholly  up  to  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
philosophy  and  theology  (scholastic)  would  always  keep 
suggesting  quarrels  to  me.  At  last  I  came  to  this,  that  I 
thought,  'Thou  must  let  all  that  lie,  and  learn  the  meaning 
of  God  purely  out  of  His  owti  simple  word.'  Then  I  began 
to  ask  God  for  His  light,  and  the  Scriptures  began  to  be 
much  easier  to  me. ' '  * 

The  doctrine  preached  by  Zwingle  was  not  received  from 
Luther.  It  was  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  "If  Luther  preaches 
Christ,"  said  the  Swiss  Reformer,  "he  does  what  I  am 
doing.  Those  whom  he  has  brought  to  Christ  are  more 
numerous  than  those  whom  I  have  led.  But  this  matters 
not.  I  will  bear  no  other  name  than  that  of  Christ,  whose 
soldier  I  am,  and  who  alone  is  my  chief.  Never  has  one 
single  word  been  written  by  me  to  Luther,  nor  by  Luther 
to  me.  And  why?  ,  .  .  That  it  might  be  shown  how  much 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  unison  with  itself,  since  both  of  us, 
without  any  collusion,  teach  the  doctrine  of  Christ  with 
such  uniformity."' 

In  1516  Zwingle  was  invited  to  become  a  preacher  in  the 
convent  at  Einsiedeln.  Here  he  was  to  have  a  closer  view 
of  the  corruptions  of  Rome,  and  was  to  exert  an  influence 
as  a  Reformer  that  would  be  felt  far  beyond  his  native  Alps. 
Among  the  chief  attractions  of  Einsiedeln  was  an  image  of 
the  Virgin  which  was  said  to  have  the  power  of  working 
miracles.  Above  the  gateway  of  the  convent  was  the  in- 
scription, "Here  a  plenary  remission  of  sins  may  be  ob- 
*WyUe,  b.  8,  ch.  6.  'D'Aubigne,  b.   8,  ch.   9, 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  175 

tained."*  Pilgrims  at  all  seasons  resorted  to  the  shrine  of 
the  Virgin,  but  at  the  great  yearly  festival  of  its  consecra- 
tion, multitudes  came  from  all  parts  of  Switzerland,  and 
even  from  France  and  Germany.  Zwingle,  greatly  afflicted 
at  the  sight,  seized  the  opportunity  to  proclaim  liberty 
through  the  gospel  to  these  bond-slaves  of  superstition. 

"Do  not  imagine,"  he  said,  "that  God  is  in  this  temple 
more  than  in  any  other  part  of  creation.  Whatever  be  the 
country  in  which  you  dwell,  God  is  around  you,  and  hears 
you.  .  .  .  Can  unprofitable  works,  long  pilgrimages,  offer- 
ings, images,  the  invocation  of  the  Virgin  or  of  the  saints, 
secure  for  you  the  grace  of  God?  .  .  .  What  avails  the 
multitude  of  words  with  which  we  embody  our  prayers? 
What  efficacy  has  a  glossy  cowl,  a  smooth-shorn  head,  a 
long  and  flowing  robe,  or  gold-embroidered  slippers?  .  .  . 
God  looks  at  the  heart,  and  our  hearts  are  far  from  Him." 
"Christ,"  he  said,  "who  was  once  offered  upon  the  cross, 
is  the  sacrifice  and  victim,  that  had  made  satisfaction  for 
the  sins  of  believers  to  all  eternity. ' '  * 

To  many  listeners  these  teachings  were  unwelcome.  It 
was  a  bitter  disappointment  to  them  to  be  told  that  their 
toilsome  journey  had  been  made  in  vain.  The  pardon  freely 
offered  to  them  through  Christ  they  could  not  comprehend. 
They  were  satisfied  with  the  old  way  to  heaven  which 
Rome  had  marked  out  for  them.  They  shrank  from  the 
perplexity  of  searching  for  anything  better.  It  was  easier 
to  trust  their  salvation  to  the  priests  and  the  pope  than  to 
seek  for  purity  of  heart. 

But  another  class  received  with  gladness  the  tidings  of 
redemption  through  Christ.  The  observances  enjoined  by 
Rome  had  failed  to  bring  peace  of  soul,  and  in  faith  they 
accepted  the  Saviour's  blood  as  their  propitiation.  These 
returned  to  their  homes  to  reveal  to  others  the  precious 
light  which  they  had  received.  The  truth  was  thus  carried 
from  hamlet  to  hamlet,  from  town  to  town,  and  the  number 
of  pilgrims  to  the  Virgin's  shrine  greatly  lessened.  There 
■■  D  'Aubigne,  b,  8,  ch.  5, 


176  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

was  a  falling  off  in  the  offerings,  and  consequently  in  the 
salary  of  Zwingle,  which  was  drawn  from  them.  But  this 
caused  him  only  joy  as  he  saw  that  the  power  of  fanaticism 
and  superstition  was  being  broken. 

The  authorities  of  the  church  Avere  not  blind  to  the  work 
which  Zwingle  was  accomplishing;  but  for  the  present  they 
forbore  to  interfere.  Hoping  yet  to  secure  him  to  their 
cause,  they  endeavored  to  win  him  by  flatteries;  and  mean- 
while the  truth  was  gaining  a  hold  upon  the  hearts  of  the 
people. 

Z^Adngle's  labors  at  Einsiedeln  had  prepared  him  for  a 
wider  field,  and  this  he  was  soon  to  enter.  After  three  years 
here,  he  was  called  to  the  office  of  preacher  in  the  cathedral 
at  Zurich.  This  was  then  the  most  important  town  of  the 
Swiss  confederacy,  and  the  influence  exerted  here  would  be 
widely  felt.  The  ecclesiastics  by  whose  invitation  he  came 
to  Zurich  wore,  however,  desirous  of  preventing  any  inno- 
vations, and  they  accordingly  proceeded  to  instruct  him  as 
to  his  duties. 

"You  will  make  every  exertion,"  they  said,  "to  collect 
the  revenues  of  the  chapter,  without  overlooking  the  least. 
You  will  exhort  the  faithful,  both  from  the  pulpit  and  in 
the  confessional,  to  pay  all  tithes  and  dues,  and  to  show 
by  their  offerings  their  affection  to  the  church.  You  will 
be  diligent  in  increasing  the  income  arising  from  the  sick, 
from  masses,  and  in  general  from  every  ecclesiastical  or- 
dinance." "As  for  the  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
the  preaching,  and  the  care  of  the  flock,"  added  his  in- 
structors, "these  are  also  the  duties  of  the  chaplain.  But 
for  these  you  may  employ  a  substitute,  and  particularly  in 
preaching.  You  should  administer  the  sacraments  to  none 
but  persons  of  note,  and  only  when  called  upon;  you  are 
forbidden  to  do  so  without  distinction  of  persons. ' '  ^ 

Zwingle  listened  in  silence  to  this  charge,  and  in  reply, 
after  expressing  his  gratitude  for  the  honor  of  a  call  to  this 
important  station,  he  proceeded  to  explain  the  course  which 
^D'Aubigne,  b.  8,  ch,  6. 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  177 

he  proposed  to  adopt.  ''The  life  of  Christ,"  he  said,  "has 
been  too  long  hidden  from  the  people.  I  shall  preach 
upon  the  whole  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew,  .  .  .  draw- 
ing solely  from  the  fountains  of  Scripture,  sounding  its 
depths,  comparing  one  passage  with  another,  and  seeking 
for  understanding  by  constant  and  earnest  prayer.  It  is 
to  God's  glory,  to  the  praise  of  His  only  Son,  to  the  real 
salvation  of  souls,  and  to  their  edification  in  the  true  faith, 
that  I  shall  consecrate  my  ministry. ' '  *  Though  some  of 
the  ecclesiastics  disapproved  his  plan,  and  endeavored  to 
dissuade  him  from  it,  Zwingle  remained  steadfast.  He 
declared  that  he  was  about  to  introduce  no  new  method, 
but  the  old  method  employed  by  the  church  in  earlier  and 
purer  times. 

Already  an  interest  had  been  awakened  in  the  truths  he 
taught;  and  the  people  flocked  in  great  numbers  to  listen 
to  his  preaching.  Many  who  had  long  since  ceased  to  at- 
tend service  were  among  his  hearers.  He  began  his  min- 
istry by  opening  the  Gospels,  and  reading  and  explaining 
to  his  hearers  the  inspired  narrative  of  the  life,  teachings, 
and  death  of  Christ.  Here,  as  at  Einsiedeln,  he  presented 
the  word  of  God  as  the  only  infallible  authority,  and  the 
death  of  Christ  as  the  only  complete  sacrifice.  "It  is  to 
Christ,"  he  said,  "that  I  desire  to  lead  you, —  to  Christ, 
the  true  source  of  salvation. ' ' '  Around  the  preacher 
crowded  the  people  of  all  classes,  from  statesmen  and 
scholars  to  the  artisan  and  the  peasant.  With  deep  in- 
terest they  listened  to  his  words.  He  not  only  proclaimed 
the  offer  of  a  free  salvation,  but  fearlessly  rebuked  the  evils 
and  corruptions  of  the  times.  Many  returned  from  the 
cathedral  praising  God.  "This  man,"  they  said,  "is  a 
preacher  of  the  truth.  He  will  be ,  our  Moses,  to  lead  us 
forth  from  this  Egyptian  darkness. ' ' ' 

But  though  at  first  his  labors  were  received  with  great 
enthusiasm,  after  a  time  opposition  arose.     The  monks  set 
themselves  to  hinder  his  work  and  condemn  his  teachings., 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  8,  ch.  6. 


178  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Many  assailed  him  with  gibes  and  sneers;  others  resorted 
to  insolence  and  threats.  But  Zwingle  bore  all  with  pa- 
tience, saying,  "If  we  desire  to  gain  over  the  wicked  to 
Jesus  Christ,  we  must  shut  our  eyes  against  many  things. ' '  * 

About  this  time  a  new  agency  came  in  to  advance  the 
work  of  reform.  One  Lucian  was  sent  to  Zurich  with  some 
of  Luther's  writings,  by  a  friend  of  the  reformed  faith  at 
Basel,  who  suggested  that  the  sale  of  these  books  might  be  a 
powerful  means  of  scattering  the  light.  "Ascertain,"  he 
wrote  to  Zwingle,  "whether  this  man  possesses  sufficient 
prudence  and  skill;  if  so,  let  him  carry  from  city  to  city, 
from  town  to  town,  from  village  to  village,  and  even  from 
house  to  house,  among  the  Swiss,  the  works  of  Luther,  and 
especially  his  exposition  of  the  Lord's  prayer  written  for 
the  laity.  The  more  they  are  known,  the  more  purchasers 
they  will  find."*     Thus  the  light  found  entrance. 

At  the  time  when  God  is  preparing  to  break  the  shackles 
of  ignorance  and  superstition,  then  it  is  that  Satan  works 
with  greatest  power  to  enshroud  men  in  darkness,  and  to 
bind  their  fetters  still  more  firmly.  As  men  were  rising  up 
in  different  lands  to  present  to  the  people  forgiveness  and 
justification  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  Home  proceeded 
with  renewed  energy  to  open  her  market  throughout  Chris- 
tendom, offering  pardon  for  money. 

Every  sin  had  its  price,  and  men  were  granted  free  li- 
cense for  crime,  if  the  treasury  of  the  church  was  kept  well 
filled.  Thus  the  two  movements  advanced, —  one  offering 
forgiveness  of  sin  for  money,  the  other  forgiveness  through 
Christ, —  Rome  licensing  sin,  and  making  it  her  source  of 
revenue;  the  Reformers  condemning  sin,  and  pointing  to 
Christ  as  the  propitiation  and  deliverer. 

In  Germany  the  sale  of  indulgences  had  been  committed 
to  the  Dominican  friars,  and  was  conducted  by  the  infamous 
Tetzel.  In  Switzerland  the  traffic  was  put  into  the  hands 
of  the  Franciscans,  under  the  control  of  Samson,  an  Ital- 
ian monk.  Samson  had  already  done  good  service  to  the 
^D'Aubigne,  b,  8,  ch,  6. 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  179 

church,  having  secured  immense  sums  from  Germany  and 
Switzerland  to  fill  the  papal  treasury.  Now  he  traversed 
Switzerland,  attracting  great  crowds,  despoiling  the  poor 
peasants  of  their  scanty  earnings,  and  exacting  rich  gifts 
from  the  wealthy  classes.  But  the  influence  of  the  reform 
already  made  itself  felt  in  curtailing,  though  it  could  not 
stop,  the  traffic.  Zwingle  was  still  at  Einsiedeln  when  Sam- 
son, soon  after  entering  Switzerland,  arrived  with  his  wares 
at  a  neighboring  town.  Being  apprised  of  his  mission,  the 
Reformer  immediately  set  out  to  oppose  him.  The  two  did 
not  meet,  but  such  was  Zwingle 's  success  in  exposing  the 
friar's  pretensions  that  he  was  obliged  to  leave  for  other 
quarters. 

At  Zurich,  Zwingle  preached  zealously  against  the  par- 
don-mongers; and  when  Samson  approached  the  place,  he 
was  met  by  a  messenger  from  the  council,  with  an  in- 
timation that  he  was  expected  to  pass  on.  He  finally  secured 
an  entrance  by  stratagem,  but  was  sent  away  without  the 
sale  of  a  single  pardon,  and  he  soon  after  left  Smtzerland. 

A  strong  impetus  was  given  to  the  reform  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  plague,  or  "great  death,"  which  swept  over 
Switzerland  in  the  year  1519.  As  men  were  thus  brought 
face  to  face  with  the  destroyer,  many  were  led  to  feel  how 
vain  and  worthless  were  the  pardons  which  they  had  so 
lately  purchased;  and  they  longed  for  a  surer  foundation 
for  their  faith.  Zwingle  at  Zurich  was  smitten  do^^^l;  he 
was  brought  so  low  that  all  hope  of  his  recovery  was  relin- 
quished, and  the  report  was  widely  circulated  that  he  was 
dead.  In  that  trying  hour  his  hope  and  courage  were  un- 
shaken. He  looked  in  faith  to  the  cross  of  Calvary,  trust- 
ing in  the  all-sufficient  propitiation  for  sin.  When  he  came 
back  from  the  gates  of  death,  it  was  to  preach  the  gospel 
with  greater  fervor  than  ever  before;  and  his  words  ex- 
erted an  unwonted  power.  The  people  welcomed  with  joy 
their  beloved  pastor,  returned  to  them  from  the  brink  of 
the    grave.      They    themselves    had    come    from    attending 


180  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

upon  the  sick  and  the  dying,  and  they  felt,  as  never  before, 
the  value  of  the  gospel. 

ZA\dngle  had  arrived  at  a  clearer  understanding  of  its 
truths,  and  had  more  fully  experienced  in  himself  its  renew- 
ing power.  The  fall  of  man  and  the  plan  of  redemption 
were  the  subjects  upon  which  he  dwelt.  "In  Adam,"  he, 
said,  "we  are  all  dead,  sunk  in  corruption  and  condemna- 
tion. "  *  "  Christ  .  .  .  has  purchased  for  us  a  never-ending 
redemption.  .  .  .  His  passion  is  ...  an  eternal  sacrifice, 
and  everlastingly  effectual  to  heal;  it  satisfies  the  divine 
justice  forever  in  behalf  of  all  those  who  rely  upon  it  with 
firm  and  unshaken  faith."  Yet  he  clearly  taught  that  men 
are  not,  because  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  free  to  continue  in 
sin.  "Wherever  there  is  faith  in  God,  there  God  is;  and 
wherever  God  abideth,  there  a  zeal  exists  urging  and  im- 
pelling men  to  good  works. ' ' ' 

Such  was  the  interest  in  Zwingle's  preaching  that  the 
cathedral  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  crowds  that 
came  to  listen  to  him.  Little  by  little,  as  they  could  bear 
it,  he  opened  the  truth  to  his  hearers.  He  was  careful  not 
to  introduce,  at  first,  points  which  would  startle  them  and 
create  prejudice.  His  work  was  to  win  their  hearts  to 
the  teachings  of  Christ,  to  soften  them  by  His  love,  and  keep 
before  them  His  example;  and  as  they  should  receive  the 
principles  of  the  gospel,  their  superstitious  beliefs  and  prac- 
tices would  inevitably  be  overthrown. 

Step  by  step  the  Reformation  advanced  in  Zurich.  In 
alarm  its  enemies  aroused  to  active  opposition.  One  year 
before,  the  monk  of  Wittenberg  had  uttered  his  "No"  to 
the  pope  and  the  emperor  at  Worms,  and  now  everything 
seemed  to  indicate  a  similar  withstanding  of  the  papal 
claims  at  Zurich.  Repeated  attacks  were  made  upon 
Zwingle.  In  the  papal  cantons,  from  time  to  time,  disciples 
of  the  gospel  were  brought  to  the  stake,  but  this  was  not 
enough ;  the  teacher  of  heresy  must  be  silenced.  Accordingly 
the  bishop  of  Constance  dispatched  three  deputies  to  the 
€!©uncil  of  Zurich,  accusing  Zwingle  of  teaching  the  people 
»Wylie,  b.  8,  ch.  9.  =D'Aubigne,  b.  8,  eh.  9. 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  181 

to  transgress  the  laws  of  the  church,  thus  endangering  the 
peace  and  good  order  of  society.  If  the  authority  of  the 
church  were  to  be  set  aside,  he  urged,  universal  anarchy 
would  result.  Zwingle  replied  that  he  had  been  for  four 
years  teaching  the  gospel  in  Zurich,  "which  was  more  quiet 
and  peaceful  than  any  other  town  in  the  confederacy."  "Is 
not,  then,"  he  said,  "Christianity  the  best  safeguard  of  the 
general  security  ? "  * 

The  deputies  had  admonished  the  councilors  to  continue 
in  the  church,  out  of  which,  they  declared,  there  was  no  sal- 
vation. Zwingle  responded:  "Let  not  this  accusation  move 
you.  The  foundation  of  the  church  is  the  same  Rock,  the 
same  Christ,  that  gave  Peter  his  name  because  he  confessed 
Him  faithfully.  In  every  nation  whosoever  believes  with  all 
his  heart  in  the  Lord  Jesus  is  accepted  of  God.  Here, 
truly,  is  the  church,  out  of  which  no  one  can  be  saved. ' ' ' 
As  a  result  of  the  conference,  one  of  the  bishop 's  deputies 
accepted  the  reformed  faith. 

The  council  declined  to  take  action  against  Zwingle,  and 
Rome  prepared  for  a  fresh  attack.  The  Reformer,  when  ap- 
prised of  the  plots  of  his  enemies,  exclaimed,  "Let  them 
come  on ;  I  fear  them  as  the  beetling  cliff  fears  the  waves 
that  thunder  at  its  feet. ' '  *  The  efforts  of  the  ecclesiastics 
only  furthered  the  cause  which  they  sought  to  overthrow. 
The  truth  continued  to  spread.  In  Germany  its  adherents, 
east  down  by  Luther's  disappearance,  took  heart  again,  as 
they  saw  the  progress  of  the  gospel  in  Switzerland. 

As  the  Reformation  became  established  in  Zurich,  its 
fruits  were  more  fully  seen  in  the  suppression  of  vice,  and 
the  promotion  of  order  and  harmony.  "Peace  has  her  habi- 
tation in  our  town,"  wrote  Zwingle;  "no  quarrel,  no  hypoc- 
risy, no  envy,  no  strife.  Whence  can  such  union  come  but 
from  the  Lord,  and  our  doctrine,  which  fills  us  with  the 
fruits  of  peace  and  piety?"* 

The  victories  gained  by  the  Reformation  stirred  the 
Romanists    to    still    more    determined    efforts    for    its    over- 

»Wylie,  b.  8,  ch.  11.  ^'D'Anbigne,  b.  8,  ch.  11  (Lomlou  ed.). 

'Wylie,  b.  8,  ch.  15. 


182  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

throw.  Seeing  how  little  had  been  accomplished  by  perse- 
cution in  suppressing  Luther's  work  in  Germany,  they  de- 
cided to  meet  the  reform  with  its  own  weapons.  They 
would  hold  a  disputation  with  Zwingle,  and  having  the  ar- 
rangement of  matters,  they  would  make  sure  of  victory  by 
choosing,  themselves,  not  only  the  place  of  the  combat,  but 
the  judges  that  should  decide  between  the  disputants.  And 
if  they  could  once  get  Zwingle  into  their  power,  they  would 
take  care  that  he  did  not  escape  them.  The  leader  silenced, 
the  movement  could  speedily  be  crushed.  This  purpose,  how- 
ever, was  carefully  concealed. 

The  disputation  was  appointed  to  be  held  at  Baden ;  but 
Zwingle  was  not  present.  The  Council  of  Zurich,  suspect- 
ing the  designs  of  the  papists,  and  warned  by  the  burning 
piles  kindled  in  the  papal  cantons  for  confessors  of  the  gos- 
pel, forbade  their  pastor  to  expose  himself  to  this  peril.  At 
Zurich  he  was  ready  to  meet  all  the  partisans  that  Rome 
might  send ;  but  to  go  to  Baden,  where  the  blood  of  martyrs 
for  the  truth  had  just  been  shed,  was  to  go  to  certain  death. 
(Ecolampadius  and  Haller  were  chosen  to  represent  the  Re- 
formers, while  the  famous  Doctor  Eck,  supported  by  a  host 
of  learned  doctors  and  prelates,  was  the  champion  of  Rome. 

Though  Zwingle  was  not  present  at  the  conference,  his 
influence  was  felt.  The  secretaries  were  all  chosen  by  the 
papists,  and  others  were  forbidden  to  take  notes,  on  pain 
of  death.  Notwithstanding  this,  Zwingle  received  daily  a 
faithful  account  of  what  was  said  at  Baden.  A  student  in 
attendance  at  the  disputation,  made  a  record  each  evening 
of  the  arguments  that  day  presented.  These  papers  two 
other  students  undertook  to  deliver,  with  the  daily  letters 
of  (Ecolampadius,  to  Zwingle  at  Zurich.  The  Reformer  an- 
swered, giving  counsel  and  suggestions.  His  letters  were 
written  by  night,  and  the  students  returiK.d  with  them  to 
Baden  in  the  morning.  To  elude  the  vigilance  of  the  guard 
stationed  at  the  city  gates,  these  messengers  brought  baskets 
of  poultry  on  their  heads,  and  they  were  permitted  to  pass 
without  hindrance. 


THE  SWISS  REFORMER  183 

Thus  Zwingle  maintained  the  battle  with  his  wily  antag- 
onists. He  "has  labored  more,"  said  Myconiiis,  "by  his 
meditations,  his  sleepless  nights,  and  the  advice  which  he 
transmitted  to  Baden,  than  he  would  have  done  by  dis- 
cussing in   person   in   the  midst   of  his   enemies. ' ' ' 

The  Romanists,  flushed  with  anticipated  triumph,  had 
come  to  Baden  attired  in  their  richest  robes  and  glittering 
with  jewels.  They  fared  luxuriously,  their  tables  spread 
with  the  most  costly  delicacies  and  the  choicest  wines.  The 
burden  of  their  ecclesiastical  duties  was  lightened  by  gaiety 
and  reveling.  In  marked  contrast  appeared  the  Reformers, 
who  were  looked  upon  by  the  people  as  little  better  than  a 
company  of  beggars,  and  whose  frugal  fare  kept  them  but 
short  time  at  table.  CEcolampadius 's  landlord,  taking  occa- 
sion to  watch  him  in  his  room,  found  him  always  engaged 
in  study  or  at  prayer,  and  greatly  wondering,  reported  that 
the  heretic  was  at  least  "very  pious." 

At  the  conference,  "Eck  haughtily  ascended  a  pulpit 
splendidly  decorated,  while  the  humble  CEcolampadius, 
meanly  clothed,  was  forced  to  take  his  seat  in  front  of  his 
opponent  on  a  rudely  carved  stool.  "^  Eck's  stentorian  voice 
and  unbounded  assurance  never  failed  him.  His  zeal  was 
stimulated  by  the  hope  of  gold  as  well  as  fame;  for  the  de- 
fender of  the  faith  was  to  be  rewarded  by  a  handsome  fee. 
When  better  arguments  failed,  he  had  resort  to  insults,  and 
even  to  oaths. 

CEcolampadius,  modest  and  self-distrustful,  had  shrunk 
from  the  combat,  and  he  entered  upon  it  with  the  solemn 
avowal,  "I  acknowledge  no  other  standard  of  judgment  than 
the  word  of  God. ' ' '  Though  gentle  and  courteous  in  de- 
meanor, he  proved  himself  able  and  unflinching.  While  the 
Romanists,  according  to  their  wont,  appealed  for  authority 
to  the  customs  of  the  church,  the  Reformer  adhered  stead- 
fastly to  the  Holy  Scriptures.  "Custom,"  he  said,  "has 
no  force  in  our  Switzerland,  unless  it  be  according  to  the 
constitution;  now,  in  matters  of  faith,  the  Bible  is  our 
constitution."  * 

'P'Aubigne,  b.  11,  ch.  13. 


184 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


The  contrast  between  the  two  disputants  was  not  without 
effect.  The  calm,  clear  reasoning  of  the  Reformer,  so  gently 
and  modestly  presented,  appealed  to  minds  that  turned  in 
disgust  from  Eck's  boastful  and  boisterous  assumptions. 

The  discussion  continued  eighteen  days.  At  its  close,  the 
papists  with  great  confidence  claimed  the  victory.  Most  of 
the  deputies  sided  with  Rome,  and  the  Diet  pronounced  the 
Reformers  vanquished,  and  declared  that  they,  together  with 
Zwingle,  their  leader,  were  cut  off  from  the  church.  But 
the  fruits  of  the  conference  revealed  on  which  side  the 
advantage  lay.  The  contest  resulted  in  a  strong  impetus 
to  the  Protestant  cause,  and  it  was  not  long  afterward 
that  the  important  cities  of  Bern  and  Basel  declared  for 
the  Reformation. 


PROGRESS   OF    REFORM    IN    GERMANY-10 

Luther's  mysterious  disappearance  excited  consternation 
throughout  all  Germany.  Inquiries  concerning  him  were 
heard  everywhere.  The  wildest  rumors  were  circulated,  and 
many  believed  that  he  had  been  murdered.  There  was 
great  lamentation,  not  only  by  his  avowed  friends,  but  by 
thousands  who  had  not  openly  taken  their  stand  with  the 
Reformation.  Many  bound  themselves  by  a  solemn  oath  to 
avenge  his  death. 

The  Romish  leaders  saw  with  terror  to  what  a  pitch  had 
risen  the  feeling  against  them.  Though  at  first  exultant  at 
the  supposed  death  of  Luther,  they  soon  desired  to  hide 
from  the  wrath  of  the  people.  His  enemies  had  not  been 
so  troubled  by  his  most  daring  acts  while  among  them,  as 
they  were  at  his  removal.  Those  who  in  their  rage  had 
sought  to  destroy  the  bold  Reformer,  were  filled  with 
fear  now  that  he  had  become  a  helpless  captive,  "The  only 
remaining  way  of  saving  ourselves,"  said  one,  "is  to  light 
torches,  and  hunt  for  Luther  through  the  whole  world,  to 
restore  him  to  the  nation  that  is  calling  for  him. ' ' '  The 
edict  of  the  emperor  seemed  to  fall  powerless.  The  papal 
legates  were  filled  with  indignation  as  they  saw  that  it  com- 
manded far  less  attention  than  did  the  fate  of  Luther. 

The  tidings  that  he  was  safe,  though  a  prisoner,  calmed 
the  fears  of  the  people,  while  it  still  further  aroused  their 
enthusiasm    in    his    favor.      His    writings    were    read    with 

'D'Aubign6,  b.  9,  ch.  1. 

(185) 


186  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

greater  eagerness  than  ever  before.  Increasing  numbers 
joined  the  cause  of  the  heroic  man  who  had,  at  such  fearful 
odds,  defended  the  word  of  God.  The  Reformation  was 
constantly  gaining  in  strength.  The  seed  which  Luther  had 
sown  sprung  up  everywhere.  His  absence  accomplished  a 
work  which  his  presence  would  have  failed  to  do.  Other 
laborers  felt  a  new  responsibility,  now  that  their  great 
leader  was  removed.  With  new  faith  and  earnestness  they 
pressed  forward  to  do  all  in  their  power,  that  the  work  so 
nobly  begun  might  not  be  hindered. 

But  Satan  was  not  idle.  He  now  attempted  what  he  has 
attempted  in  every  other  reformatory  movement, —  to  deceive 
and  destroy  the  people  by  palming  off  upon  them  a  counter- 
feit in  place  of  the  true  work.  As  there  were  false  christs 
in  the  first  century  of  the  Christian  church,  so  there  arose 
false  prophets  in  the  sixteenth  century. 

A  few  men,  deeply  affected  by  the  excitement  in  the  re- 
ligious world,  imagined  themselves  to  have  received  special 
revelations  from  Heaven,  and  claimed  to  have  been  divinely 
commissioned  to  carry  forward  to  its  completion  the  Refor- 
mation which,  they  declared,  had  been  but  feebly  begun 
by  Luther.  In  truth,  they  were  undoing  the  very  work 
which  he  had  accomplished.  They  rejected  the  great  prin- 
ciple which  was  the  very  foundation  of  the  Reformation, — 
that  the  word  of  God  is  the  all-sufficient  rule  of  faith  and 
practice;  and  for  that  unerring  guide  they  substituted  the 
changeable,  uncertain  standard  of  their  own  feelings  and 
impressions.  By  this  act  of  setting  aside  the  great  detector 
of  error  and  falsehood,  the  way  was  opened  for  Satan  to 
control  minds  as  best  pleased  himself. 

One  of  these  prophets  claimed  to  liave  been  instructed 
by  the  angel  Gabriel.  A  student  who  united  with  him  for- 
sook his  studies,  declaring  that  he  had  been  endowed  by 
God  Himself  with  wisdom  to  expound  His  word.  Others 
who  were  naturally  inclined  to  fanaticism  united  with  them. 
The  proceedings  of  these  enthusiasts  created  no  lit^Je  excite- 


PROGRESS   OF  REFORM  IN   GERMANY  1»7 

ment.  The  preaching  of  Luther  had  aroused  the  people 
everywhere  to  feel  the  necessity  of  reform,  and  now  some 
really  honest  persons  were  misled  by  the  pretensions  of  the 
new  prophets. 

The  leaders  of  the  movement  proceeded  to  Wittenberg, 
and  urged  their  claims  upon  Melanchthon  and  his  co- 
laborers.  Said  they:  "We  are  sent  by  God  to  instruct  the 
people.  We  have  held  familiar  conversations  with  the 
Lord ;  we  know  what  will  happen ;  in  a  word,  we  are 
apostles  and  prophets,  and  appeal  to  Doctor  Luther."* 

The  Reformers  were  astonished  and  perplexed.  This  was 
such  an  element  as  they  had  never  before  encountered,  and 
they  knew  not  what  course  to  pursue.  Said  Melanchthon : 
"There  are  indeed  extraordinary  spirits  in  these  men;  but 
what  spirits  ?  .  .  .  On  the  one  hand,  let  us  beware  of  quench- 
ing the  Spirit  of  God,  and  on  the  other,  of  being  led  astray 
by  the  spirit  of  Satan. " ' 

The  fruit  of  the  new  teaching  soon  became  apparent.  The 
people  were  led  to  neglect  the  Bible,  or  to  cast  it  wholly 
aside.  The  schools  were  thrown  into  confusion.  Students, 
spurning  all  restraint,  abandoned  their  studies,  and  Avith- 
drew  from  the  university.  The  men  who  thought  them- 
selves competent  to  revive  and  control  the  work  of  the 
Reformation,  succeeded  only  in  bringing  it  to  the  verge  of 
ruin.  The  Romanists  now  regained  their  confidence,  and 
exclaimed  exultingly,  "One  last  struggle,  and  all  will  be 
ours."' 

Luther  at  the  Wartburg,  hearing  of  what  had  occurred, 
said  with  deep  concern,  "I  always  expected  that  Satan 
would  send  us  this  plague. ' ' '  He  perceived  the  true  char- 
acter of  those  pretended  prophets,  and  saw  the  danger  that 
threatened  the  cause  of  truth.  The  opposition  of  the  pope 
and  the  emperor  had  not  caused  him  so  great  perplexity 
and  distress  as  he  now  experienced.  From  the  professed 
friends  of  the  Reformation  had  risen  its  worst  enemies.  The 
very  truths  which  had  brought  him  so  great  joy  and  con. 
*D'Aubigne,  b.   9,  ch    7. 


188  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

solation  were  being  employed  to  stir  up  strife  and  create 
confusion  in  the  church. 

In  the  work  of  reform,  Luther  had  been  urged  forward 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  had  been  carried  beyond  himself. 
He  had  not  purposed  to  take  such  positions  as  he  did,  or 
to  make  so  radical  changes.  He  had  been  but  the  instru- 
ment in  the  hand  of  Infinite  Power.  Yet  he  often  trembled 
for  the  result  of  his  work.  He  had  once  said,  "If  I  knew 
that  my  doctrine  injured  one  man,  one  single  man,  however 
lowly  and  obscure, —  which  it  cannot,  for  it  is  the  gospel 
itself, —  I  would  rather  die  ten  times  than  not  retract  it."* 

And  now  Wittenberg  itself,  the  very  center  of  the  Ref- 
ormation, was  fast  falling  under  the  power  of  fanaticism 
and  lawlessness.  This  terrible  condition  had  not  resulted 
from  the  teachings  of  Luther;  but  throughout  Germany 
his  enemies  were  charging  it  upon  him.  In  bitterness 
of  soul  he  sometimes  asked,  "Can  such  then  be  the  end 
of  this  great  work  of  the  Reformation  ? "  *  Again,  as  he 
wrestled  with  God  in  prayer,  peace  flowed  into  his  heart. 
"The  work  is  not  mine,  but  Thine  own,"  he  said;  "Thou 
wilt  not  suffer  it  to  be  corrupted  by  superstition  or  fanati- 
cism." But  the  thought  of  remaining  longer  from  the 
conflict  in  such  a  crisis,  became  insupportable.  He  deter- 
mined to  return  to  "Wittenberg. 

"Without  delay  he  set  out  on  his  perilous  journey.  He 
was  under  the  ban  of  the  empire.  Enemies  were  at  liberty 
to  take  his  life;  friends  were  forbidden  to  aid  or  shelter 
him.  The  imperial  government  was  adopting  the  most 
stringent  measures  against  his  adherents.  But  he  saw  that 
the  work  of  the  gospel  was  imperiled,  and  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  he  went  out  fearlessly  to  battle  for  the  truth. 

In  a  letter  to  the  elector,  after  stating  his  purpose  to 
leave  the  "Wartburg,  Luther  said:  "Be  it  known  to  your 
highness  that  I  am  going  to  "Wittenberg  under  a  protec- 
tion far  higher  than  that  of  princes  and  electors.  I  think 
not  of  soliciting  your  highness'  support,  and  far  from 
*D'Aubigne,  b.  9,  ch.  7, 


PROGRESS   OF  REFORM  IN  GERMANY  189 

desiring  your  protection,  I  would  rather  protect  you  my- 
self. If  I  knew  that  your  highness  could  or  would  protect 
me,  I  would  not  go  to  Wittenberg  at  all.  There  is  no 
sword  that  can  further  this  cause.  God  alone  must  do  every- 
thing, without  the  help  or  concurrence  of  man.  He  who 
has  the  greatest  faith  is  he  who  is  most  able  to  protect. ' ' ' 

In  a  second  letter,  written  on  the  way  to  "Wittenberg, 
Luther  added:  "I  am  ready  to  incur  the  displeasure  of 
your  highness  and  the  anger  of  the  whole  world.  Are  not 
the  Wittenbergers  my  sheep?  Has  not  God  entrusted  them 
to  me?  And  ought  I  not,  if  necessary,  to  expose  myself  to 
death  for  their  sakes?  Besides,  I  fear  to  see  a  terrible  out- 
break in  Germany,  by  which  God  will  punish  our  nation. ' ' ' 

With  great  caution  and  humility,  yet  with  decision  and 
firmness,  he  entered  upon  his  work.  "By  the  Word,"  said 
he,  "must  we  overthrow  and  destroy  what  has  been  set  up 
by  violence.  I  will  not  make  use  of  force  against  the  super- 
stitious and  unbelieving.  ...  No  one  must  be  constrained. 
Liberty  is  the  very  essence  of  faith. ' '  ^ 

It  was  soon  noised  through  Wittenberg  that  Luther  had 
returned,  and  that  he  was  to  preach.  The  people  flocked 
from  all  directions,  and  the  church  was  filled  to  overflowing. 
Ascending  the  pulpit,  he  with  great  wisdom  and  gentleness 
instructed,  exhorted,  and  reproved.  Touching  the  course  of 
some  who  had  resorted  to  violent  measures  in  abolishing  the 
mass,  he  said : 

"The  mass  is  a  bad  thing;  God  is  opposed  to  it;  it  ought 
to  be  abolished;  and  I  would  that  throughout  the  whole 
world  it  were  replaced  by  the  supper  of  the  gospel.  But  let 
no  one  be  torn  from  it  by  force.  We  must  leave  the  matter 
in  God's  hands.  His  word  must  act,  and  not  we.  And 
why  so?  you  will  ask.  Because  I  do  not  hold  men's  hearts 
in  my  hand,  as  the  potter  holds  the  clay.  We  have  a  right 
to  speak:  we  have  not  the  right  to  act.  Let  us  preach;  the 
rest  belongs  unto  God.  Were  I  to  employ  force,  what 
should  I  gain?  Grimace,  formality,  apings,  human  ordi- 
nances, and  hypocrisy,  .  .  .  But  there  would  be  no  sin- 
*D'Aubign6,  b.  9,  ch.   8. 


190  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

cerity  of  heart,  nor  faith,  nor  charity.  Where  these  three 
are  wanting,  all  is  wanting,  and  I  would  not  give  a  pear- 
stalk  for  such  a  result.  .  .  God  does  more  by  His  word 
alone  than  you  and  I  and  all  the  world  by  our  united 
strength.  God  lays  hold  upon  the  heart;  and  when  the 
heart  is  taken,  all  is  won.  .  .  . 

"I  will  preach,  discuss,  and  write;  but  I  will  constrain 
none,  for  faith  is  a  voluntary  act.  See  what  I  have  done. 
I  stood  up  against  the  pope,  indulgences,  and  papists,  but 
without  violence  or  tumult.  I  put  forward  God's  word; 
I  preached  and  wrote  —  this  was  all  I  did.  And  yet  while 
I  was  asleep,  .  .  ,  the  word  that  I  had  preached  over- 
threw popery,  so  that  neither  prince  nor  emperor  has 
done  it  so  much  harm.  And  yet  I  did  nothing;  the  Word 
alone  did  all.  If  I  had  wished  to  appeal  to  force,  the  whole 
of  Germany  would  perhaps  have  been  deluged  with  blood. 
But  what  would  have  been  the  result?  Ruin  and  desola- 
tion both  to  body  and  soul.  I  therefore  kept  quiet,  and  left 
the  "Word  to  run  through  the  world  alone.  "^ 

Day  after  day,  for  a  whole  week,  Luther  continued  to 
preach  to  eager  crowds.  The  word  of  God  broke  the  spell 
of  fanatical  excitement.  The  power  of  the  gospel  brought 
back  the  misguided  people  into  the  way  of  truth. 

Luther  had  no  desire  to  encounter  the  fanatics  whose 
course  had  been  productive  of  so  great  evil.  He  knew  them 
to  be  men  of  unsound  judgment  and  undisciplined  passions, 
who,  while  claiming  to  be  especially  illuminated  from  heaven, 
would  not  endure  the  slightest  contradiction,  or  even  the 
kindest  reproof  or  counsel.  Arrogating  to  themselves  su- 
preme authority,  they  required  every  one,  without  a  ques- 
tion, to  acknowledge  their  claims.  But  as  they  demanded 
an  interview  Avith  him,  he  consented  to  meet  them;  and  so 
successfully  did  he  expose  their  pretensions,  that  the  impos- 
tors at  once  departed  from  "Wittenberg. 

The  fanaticism  was  checked  for  a  time;  but  several  years 
later  it  broke  out  with  greater  violence  and  more  terrible 
results.     Said  Luther,  concerning  the  leaders  in  this  move- 

*D'Aubigne,  b.  9,  ch.   8. 


PROGRESS  OF  REFORM  IN  GERMANY  191 

ment :  "  To  them  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  but  a  dead  letter, 
and  they  all  began  to  cry,  'The  Spirit!  the  Spirit!'  But 
most  assuredly  I  will  not  follow  where  their  spirit  leads 
them.  May  God  of  His  mercy  preserve  me  from  a  church 
in  which  there  are  none  but  saints.  I  desire  to  dwell  with 
the  humble,  the  feeble,  the  sick,  who  know  and  feel  their 
sins,  and  who  groan  and  cry  continually  to  God  from 
the  bottom  of  their  hearts  to  obtain  His  consolation  and 
support. ' ' ' 

Thomas  Miinzer,  the  most  active  of  the  fanatics,  was  a 
man  of  considerable  ability,  which,  rightly  directed,  would 
have  enabled  him  to  do  good;  but  he  had  not  learned  the 
first  principles  of  true  religion.  "He  was  possessed  with  a 
desire  of  reforming  the  world,  and  forgot,  as  all  enthusiasts 
do,  that  the  reformation  should  begin  with  himself. ' '  ^  He 
was  ambitious  to  obtain  position  and  influence,  and  was 
unwilling  to  be  second,  even  to  Luther.  He  declared  that  the 
Reformers,  in  substituting  the  authority  of  Scripture  for 
that  of  the  pope,  were  only  establishing  a  different  form  of 
popery.  He  himself,  he  claimed,  had  been  divinely  com- 
missioned to  introduce  the  true  reform.  "He  who  pos- 
sesses this  spirit,"  said  Miinzer,  "possesses  the  true  faith, 
although  he  should  never  see  the  Scriptures  in  his  life. ' '  * 

The  fanatical  teachers  gave  themselves  up  to  be  governed 
by  impressions,  regarding  every  thought  and  impulse  as  the 
voice  of  God;  consequently  they  went  to  great  extremes. 
Some  even  burned  their  Bibles,  exclaiming,  "The  letter 
killeth,  but  the  Spirit  giveth  life."  Miinzer 's  teaching  ap- 
pealed to  men's  desire  for  the  marvelous,  while  it  gratified 
their  pride  by  virtually  placing  human  ideas  and  opinions 
above  the  word  of  God.  His  doctrines  were  received  by 
thousands.  He  soon  denounced  all  order  in  public  worship, 
and  declared  that  to  obey  princes  was  to  attempt  to  serve 
both  God  and  Belial. 

The  minds  of  the  people,  already  beginning  to  throw  off 
the  yoke  of  the  papacy,  were  also  becoming  impatient  under 
the  restraints  of  civil  authority.  ]\Iiinzer's  revolutionary 
'D'Aubigue,  b.  10,  ch.  10. 


192  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

teachings,  claiming  divine  sanction,  led  them  to  break  away 
from  all  control,  and  give  the  rein  to  their  prejudices  and 
passions.  The  most  terrible  scenes  of  sedition  and  strife 
followed,  and  the  fields  of  Germany  were  drenched  with 
blood. 

The  agony  of  soul  which  Luther  had  so  long  before  ex- 
perienced at  Erfurt,  now  pressed  upon  him  with  redoubled 
power  as  he  saw  the  results  of  fanaticism  charged  upon  the 
Reformation.  The  papist  princes  declared  —  and  many  were 
ready  to  credit  the  statement  —  that  the  rebellion  was  the 
legitimate  fruit  of  Luther's  doctrines.  Although  this  charge 
was  without  the  slightest  foundation,  it  could  not  but  cause 
the  Reformer  great  distress.  That  the  cause  of  truth  should 
be  thus  disgraced  by  being  ranked  with  the  basest  fanaticism, 
seemed  more  than  he  could  endure.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  leaders  in  the  revolt  hated  Luther  because  he  had  not 
only  opposed  their  doctrines  and  denied  their  claims  to 
divine  inspiration,  but  had  pronounced  them  rebels  against 
tile  civil  authority.  In  retaliation  they  denounced  him  as  a 
base  pretender.  He  seemed  to  have  brought  upon  himself 
the  enmity  of  both  princes  and  people. 

The  Romanists  exulted,  expecting  to  witness  the  speedy 
downfall  of  the  Reformation;  and  they  blamed  Luther,  even 
for  the  errors  which  he  had  been  most  earnestly  endeavoring 
to  correct.  The  fanatical  party,  by  falsely  claiming  to  have 
been  treated  with  great  injustice,  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
sympathies  of  a  large  class  of  the  people,  and,  as  is  often 
the  case  with  those  who  take  the  wrong  side,  they  came 
to  be  regarded  as  martyrs.  Thus  the  ones  who  were  exert- 
ing every  energy  in  opposition  to  the  Reformation,  were 
pitied  and  lauded  as  the  victims  of  cruelty  and  oppression. 
This  was  the  work  of  Satan,  prompted  by  the  same  spirit 
of  rebellion  which  was  first  manifested  in  heaven. 

Satan  is  constantly  seeking  to  deceive  men,  and  lead 
them  to  call  sin  righteousness,  and  righteousness  sin.  How 
successful  has  been  his  work !  How  often  censure  and  re- 
proach are  cast  upon  God's  faithful  servants  because  they 


PROGRESS  OF  REFORM  IN  GERMANY  193 

will  stand  fearlessly  in  defense  of  the  truth!  Men  who  are 
but  agents  of  Satan  are  praised  and  flattered,  and  even 
looked  upon  as  martyrs,  while  those  who  should  be  respected 
and  sustained  for  their  fidelity  to  God,  are  left  to  stand 
alone,  under  suspicion  and  distrust. 

Counterfeit  holiness,  spurious  sanctification,  is  still  doing 
its  work  of  deception.  Under  various  forms  it  exhibits  the 
same  spirit  as  in  the  days  of  Luther,  diverting  minds  from 
the  Scriptures,  and  leading  men  to  follow  their  own  feelings 
and  impressions  rather  than  to  yield  obedience  to  the  law  of 
God.  This  is  one  of  Satan's  most  successful  devices  to  cast 
reproach  upon  purity  and  truth. 

Fearlessly  did  Luther  defend  the  gospel  from  the  at- 
tacks which  came  from  every  quarter.  The  word  of  God 
proved  itself  a  weapon  mighty  in  every  conflict.  With  that 
Word  he  warred  against  the  usurped  authority  of  the  pope, 
and  the  rationalistic  philosophy  of  the  schoolmen,  while  he 
stood  firm  as  a  rock  against  the  fanaticism  that  sought  to 
ally  itself  with  the  Reformation. 

Each  of  these  opposing  elements  was  in  its  o^vn  way  set- 
ting aside  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  exalting  human  wisdom 
as  the  source  of  religious  truth  and  knowledge.  Rationalism 
idolizes  reason,  and  makes  this  the  criterion  for  religion. 
Romanism,  claiming  for  her  sovereign  pontiff  an  inspira-. 
tion  descended  in  unbroken  line  from  the  apostles,  and  un- 
changeable through  all  time,  gives  ample  opportunity  for 
every  species  of  extravagance  and  corruption  to  be  con- 
cealed under  the  sanctity  of  tlie  apostolic  commission.  The 
inspiration  claimed  by  Miinzer  and  his  associates  proceeded 
from  no  higher  source  than  the  vagaries  of  the  imagination, 
and  its  influence  was  subversive  of  all  authority,  human 
or  divine.  True  Christianity  receives  the  word  of  God  as 
the  great  treasure-house  of  inspired  truth,  and  the  test  of 
all  inspiration. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  Wartburg,  Luther  completed 
his  translation  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  gospel  Avas 
soon  after  given  to   the  people  of   Germany   in   their  own 

.C. 


194  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

language.  This  translation  was  received  with  great  joy  by 
all  who  loved  the  truth;  but  it  was  scornfully  rejected  by 
those  who  chose  human  traditions  and  the  commandments 
of  men. 

The  priests  were  alarmed  at  the  thought  that  the  com- 
mon people  would  now  be  able  to  discuss  with  them  the  pre- 
cepts of  God's  word,  and  that  their  own  ignorance  would 
thus  be  exposed.  The  weapons  of  their  carnal  reasoning 
were  powerless  against  the  sword  of  the  Spirit.  Rome  sum- 
moned all  her  authority  to  prevent  the  circulation  of  the 
Scriptures;  but  decrees,  anathemas,  and  tortures  were  alike 
in  vain.  The  more  she  condemned  and  prohibited  the  Bible, 
the  greater  was  the  anxiety  of  the  people  to  know  what  it 
really  taught.  All  who  could  read  were  eager  to  study  the 
v;ord  of  God  for  themselves.  They  carried  it  about  with 
them,  and  read  and  re-read,  and  could  not  be  satisfied  until 
they  had  committed  large  portions  to  memory.  Seeing  the 
favor  with  whi(;h  the  New  Testament  was  received,  Luther 
immediately  began  the  translation  of  the  Old,  and  pub- 
lished it  in  parts  as  fast  as  completed. 

Luther's  writings  were  welcomed  alike  in  city  and  in 
hamlet.  "What  Luther  and  his  friends  composed,  others 
circulated.  Monks,  convinced  of  the  unlawfulness  of  mon- 
astic obligations,  desirous  of  exchanging  a  long  life  of  sloth- 
fulness  for  one  of  active  exertion,  but  too  ignorant  to 
proclaim  the  word  of  God,  traveled  through  the  provinces, 
visiting  hamlets  and  cottages,  where  they  sold  the  books 
of  Luther  and  his  friends.  Germany  soon  swarmed  with 
these  bold  colporteurs. " "" 

These  writings  were  studied  with  deep  interest  by  rich 
and  poor,  the  learned  and  the  ignorant.  At  night  the 
teachers  of  the  village  schools  read  them  aloud  to  little 
groups  gathered  at  the  fireside.  With  every  effort,  some 
souls  would  be  convicted  of  the  truth,  and,  receiving  the 
word  with  gladness,  would  in  their  turn  tell  the  good  news 
to  others. 

*D'Aubigne,   b.   9,   ch.   11. 


PROGRESS  OF  REFORM  IN  GERMANY  195 

The  words  of  inspiration  were  verified :  ' '  l^he  entrance  of 
Thy  words  giveth  light;  it  giveth  understanding  unto  the 
simple. ' ' '  The  study  of  the  Scriptures  was  working  a 
mighty  change  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  people.  The 
papal  rule  had  placed  upon  its  subjects  an  iron  yoke  which 
held  them  in  ignorance  and  degradation.  A  superstitious 
observance  of  forms  had  been  scrupulously  maintained ;  but 
in  all  their  service  the  heart  and  intellect  had  had  little 
part.  The  preaching  of  Luther,  setting  forth  the  plain  truths 
of  God's  word,  and  then  the  word  itself,  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  common  people,  had  aroused  their  dormant  powers, 
not  only  purifying  and  ennobling  the  spiritual  nature,  but 
imparting  new  strength  and  vigor  to  the  intellect. 

Persons  of  all  ranks  were  to  be  seen  with  the  Bible  in 
their  hands,  defending  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation. 
The  papists  who  had  left  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  to  the 
priests  and  monks,  now  called  upon  them  to  come  forward 
and  refute  the  new  teachings.  But,  ignorant  alike  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  the  power  of  God,  priests  and  friars  were 
totally  defeated  by  those  whom  they  had  denounced  as  un- 
learned and  heretical.  "Unhappily,"  said  a  Catholic  writer, 
"Luther  had  persuaded  his  followers  to  i)ut  no  faith  in 
any  other  oracle  than  the  Holy  Scriptures. ' '  ^  Crowds 
would  gather  to  hear  the  truth  advocated  by  men  of  little 
education,  and  even  discussed  by  them  with  learned  and  elo- 
quent theologians.  The  shameful  ignorance  of  these  great 
men  was  made  apparent  as  their  arguments  were  met  by  the 
simple  teachings  of  God's  word.  Laborers,  soldiers,  women, 
and  even  children,  were  better  acquainted  with  the  Bible 
teachings  than  were  the  priests  and  learned  doctors. 

The  contrast  between  the  disciples  of  the  gospel  and  the 
upholders  of  popish  superstition  was  no  less  manifest  in  the 
ranks  of  scholars  than  among  the  common  people.  "Op- 
posed to  the  old  champions  of  the  hierarchy,  who  had 
neglected  the  study  of  languages  and  the  cultivation  of  liter- 
ature, .  .  .  were  generous-minded  youths,  devoted  to  study, 
»Ps.  119:130.  »D'Aubigne,  b.  9,  ch.  11. 


196  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

investigating  Scripture,  and  familiarizing  themselves  with 
the  masterpieces  of  antiquity.  Possessing  an  active  mind, 
an  elevated  soul,  and  intrepid  heart,  these  young  men  soon 
acquired  such  knowledge  that  for  a  long  period  none  could 
compete  w^ith  them.  .  .  .  Accordingly,  when  these  youthful 
defenders  of  the  Reformation  met  the  Komish  doctors  in 
any  assembly,  tliey  attacked  them  with  such  ease  and  confi- 
dence that  tliese  ignorant  men  hesitated,  ))ecame  embarrassed, 
and  fell  into  a  contempt  merited  in  the  eyes  of  all."^ 

As  the  Romish  clergy  saw  their  congregations  diminish- 
ing, they  invoked  the  aid  of  the  magistrates,  and  by  every 
means  in  their  power  endeavored  to  bring  back  their  hear- 
ers. But  the  people  had  found  in  the  new  teachings  that 
which  supplied  the  wants  of  their  souls,  and  they  turned 
away  from  those  who  had  so  long  fed  them  with  the  worth- 
less husks  of  superstitious  rites  and  human  traditions. 

When  persecution  was  kindled  against  the  teachers  of  the 
truth,  they  gave  heed  to  the  words  of  Christ,  "When  they 
persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  another.'"  The  light 
penetrated  everywhere.  The  fugitives  would  find  some- 
where a  hospitable  door  opened  to  them,  and  there  abiding, 
they  would  preach  Christ,  sometimes  in  the  church,  or  if 
denied  that  privilege,  in  private  houses  or  in  the  open  air. 
Wherever  they  could  obtain  a  hearing  was  a  consecrated 
temple.  The  truth,  proclaimed  with  such  energy  and  assur- 
ance, spread  with  irresistible  power. 

In  vain  both  ecclesiastical  and  civil  authorities  were 
invoked  to  crush  the  heresy.  In  vain  they  resorted  to  im- 
prisonment, torture,  fire,  and  sword.  Thousands  of  believers 
sealed  their  faith  with  their  blood,  and  yet  the  work  went 
on.  Persecution  served  only  to  extend  the  truth;  and  the 
fanaticism  which  Satan  endeavored  to  unite  with  it,  resulted 
in  making  more  clear  the  contrast  between  the  work  of 
Satan  and  the  work  of  God. 

^D'Aubigne,  b.  9,  ch.  11.  "Matt.  10:23. 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINGES-11 

One  of  the  noblest  testimonies  ev'er  uttered  for  the  Refor- 
mation, was  the  Protest  offered  by  the  Christian  princes  of 
Germany  at  the  Diet  of  Spires  in  1529.  The  courage,  faith, 
and  firmness  of  those  men  of  God,  gained  for  succeeding 
ages  liberty  of  thought  and  of  conscience.  Their  Protest 
gave  to  the  reformed  church  the  name  of  Protestant;  its 
principles  are  "the  very  essence  of  Protestantism."* 

A  dark  and  threatening  day  had  come  for  the  Reforma- 
tion. Notwithstanding  the  edict  of  Worms,  declaring  Luther 
to  be  an  outlaw,  and  forl)idding  the  teaching  or  belief  of  his 
doctrines,  religious  toleration  had  thus  far  prevailed  in  the 
empire.  God's  providence  had  held  in  check  the  forces  that 
opposed  the  truth.  Charles  V.  was  bent  on  crushing  the 
Reformation,  but  often  as  he  raised  his  hand  to  strike,  he 
had  been  forced  to  turn  aside  the  blow.  Again  and  again 
the  immediate  destruction  of  all  who  dared  to  oppose  them- 
selves to  Rome  appeared  inevitable ;  but  at  the  critical  mo- 
ment the  armies  of  the  Turk  appeared  on  the  eastern  frontier, 
or  the  king  of  France,  or  even  the  pope  himself,  jealous  of 
the  increasing  greatness  of  the  emperor,  made  war  upon 
him;  and  thus,  amid  the  strife  and  tumult  of  nations,  the 
Reformation  had  been  left  to  strengthen  and   extend. 

At  last,  however,  the  papal  sovereigns  had  stifled  their 
feuds,  that  they  might  make  common  cause  against  the 
Reformers,  The  Diet  of  Spires  in  1526  had  given  each  state 
full  liberty  in  matters  of  religion  until  the  meeting    of  a 

'D'Aubigne,  b.   13,  eh.   6. 

(197) 


198  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

general  council;  but  no  sooner  had  the  dangers  passed  which 
secured  this  concession,  than  the  emperor  summoned  a  sec- 
ond Diet  to  convene  at  Spires  in  1529  for  the  purpose  of 
crushing  heresy.  The  princes  were  to  be  induced,  by  peace- 
able means  if  possible,  to  side  against  the  Reformation;  but 
if  these  failed,  Charles  was  prepared  to  resort  to  the  sword. 

The  papists  were  exultant.  They  appeared  at  Spires  in 
great  numbers,  and  openly  manifested  their  hostility  toward 
the  Reformers  and  all  who  favored  tliem.  Said  Melanchthon, 
"We  are  the  execration  and  the  sweepings  of  the  world; 
but  Christ  will  look  down  on  His  poor  people,  and  will  pre- 
serve them.'"  The  evangelical  princes  in  attendance  at  the 
Diet  were  forbidden  even  to  have  the  gospel  preached  in 
their  dwellings.  But  the  people  of  Spires  thirsted  for  the 
Avord  of  God,  and  notwithstanding  the  prohibition,  thou- 
sands flocked  to  the  services  held  in  the  chapel  of  the  elector 
of  Saxony. 

This  hastened  the  crisis.  An  imperial  message  announced 
to  the  Diet  that  as  the  resolution  granting  liberty  of  con- 
science had  given  rise  to  great  disorders,  the  emperor  re- 
quired that  it  be  annulled.  This  arbitrary  act  excited  the 
indignation  and  alarm  of  the  evangelical  Christians.  Said 
one,  "Christ  has  again  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Caiaphas  and 
Pilate."  The  Romanists  became  more  violent.  A  bigoted 
papist  declared:  "The  Turks  are  better  than  the  Lutherans; 
for  the  Turks  observe  fast-days,  and  the  Lutherans  violate 
them.  If  we  must  choose  between  the  Holy  Scriptures  of 
God  and  the  old  errors  of  the  church,  we  should  reject  the 
former."  Said  Melanchthon,  "Every  day,  in  full  assembly, 
Faber  casts  some  new  stone  at  us  Gospelers. ' ' ' 

Religious  toleration  had  been  legally  established,  and  the 
evangelical  states  were  resolved  to  oppose  the  infringement 
of  their  rights.  Luther,  being  still  under  the  ban  imposed 
by  the  edict  of  Worms,  was  not  permitted  to  be  present  at 
Spires;  but  his  place  was  supplied  by  his  co-laborers  and 
the  princes  whom  God  had  raised  up  to  defend  His  cause  in 
this  emergency.  The  noble  Frederick  of  Saxony,  Luther's 
»D'Aubigne,  b.  13,  ch.  5. 


PROTEST   OF  THE  PRINCES  199 

former  protector,  had  been  removed  by  death;  but  Duke 
John,  his  brother  and  successor,  liad  joyfully  welcomed  the 
Reformation,  and  while  a  friend  of  peace,  he  displayed  great 
energy  and  courage  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  interests 
of   the   faith. 

The  priests  demanded  that  the  states  which  had  accepted 
the  Reformation  submit  implicitly  to  Romish  jurisdiction. 
The  Reformers,  on  the  other  hand,  claimed  the  liberty  which 
had  previously  been  granted.  They  could  not  consent  that 
Rome  should  again  bring  under  her  control  those  states 
that  had  with  so  great  joy  received  the  word  of  God. 

As  a  compromise  it  was  finally  proposed  that  where  the 
Reformation  had  not  become  established,  the  edict  of  Worms 
should  be  rigorously  enforced;  and  that  "in  those  where 
the  people  had  deviated  from  it,  and  where  they  could  not 
conform  to  it  without  danger  of  revolt,  they  should  at  least 
effect  no  new  reform,  they  should  touch  upon  no  controverted 
point,  they  should  not  oppose  the  celebration  of  the  mass, 
they  should  permit  no  Roman  Catholic  to  embrace  Luther- 
anism. ' ' '  This  measure  passed  the  Diet,  to  the  great  sat- 
isfaction of  the  popish  priests  and  prelates. 

If  this  edict  were  enforced,  "the  Reformation  could  neither 
be  extended  .  .  .  where  as  yet  it  was  unknown,  nor  be  estab- 
lished on  solid  foundations  .  .  .  where  it  already  existed. ' ' ' 
Liberty  of  speech  would  be  prohibited.  No  conversions 
would  be  allowed.  And  to  these  restrictions  and  prohibi- 
tions the  friends  of  the  Reformation  were  required  at  once 
to  submit.  The  hopes  of  the  world  seemed  about  to  be  ex- 
tinguished. "The  re-establishment  of  the  Romish  liierarchy 
.  .  .  would  infallibly  bring  back  the  ancient  abuses;"  and 
an  occasion  would  readily  be  found  for  "completing  the 
destruction  of  a  work  already  so  violently  shaken"  by  fa- 
naticism and  dissension.* 

As  the  evangelical  party  met  for  consultation,  one  looked 

to  another  in  blank  dismay.     From  one  to  another  passed 

the  inquiry,  "What  is  to  be  done?"     Mighty  issues  for  the 

world  were  at  stake.     "Shall  the  chiefs  of  the  Reformation 

»D'Aubigne,  b.  13,  ch.  5. 


200  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

submit,  and  accept  the  edict  ?  How  easily  might  the  Reform- 
ers at  this  crisis,  which  was  truly  a  tremendous  one,  have 
argued  themselves  into  a  wrong  course!  How  many  plau- 
sible pretexts  and  fair  reasons  might  they  have  found  for 
submission !  The  Lutheran  princes  were  guaranteed  the 
free  exercise  of  their  religion.  The  same  boon  was  extended 
to  all  those  of  their  subjects  who,  prior  to  the  passing  of 
the  measure,  liad  embraced  the  reformed  views.  Ought  not 
this  to  content  tliem?  How  many  perils  would  submission 
avoid!  On  what  unknown  hazards  and  conflicts  would 
opposition  launch  them !  Who  knows  what  opportunities 
the  future  may  bring?  Let  us  embrace  peace;  let  us  seize 
the  olive-branch  Rome  holds  out,  and  close  the  wounds  of 
Germany.  With  arguments  like  these  might  the  Reformers 
have  justified  their  adoption  of  a  course  which  would  have 
assuredly  issued  in  no  long  time  in  the  overthrow  of  their 
cause. 

"Happily  they  looked  at  the  principle  on  which  this  ar- 
rangement was  based,  and  they  acted  in  faith.  What  was  that 
principle?  It  was  the  right  of  Rome  to  coerce  conscience 
and  forbid  free  inquiry.  But  were  not  themselves  and  their 
Protestant  subjects  to  enjoy  religious  freedom?  Yes,  as  a 
favor  specially  stipulated  for  in  the  arrangement,  but  not 
as  a  right.  As  to  all  outside  that  arrangement,  the  great 
principle  of  authority  was  to  rule ;  conscience  was  out  of 
court;  Rome  was  infallible  judge,  and  must  be  obeyed.  The 
acceptance  of  the  proposed  arrangement  would  have  been  a 
virtual  admission  that  religious  liberty  ought  to  be  confined 
to  reformed  Saxony;  and  as  to  all  the  rest  of  Christendom, 
free  inquiry  and  the  profession  of  the  reformed  faith  were 
crimes,  and  must  be  visited  with  the  dungeon  and  the  stake. 
Could  they  consent  to  localize  religious  liberty?  to  have  it 
proclaimed  that  the  Reformation  had  made  its  last  convert? 
had  subjugated  its  last  acre?  and  that  wherever  Rome  bore 
sway  at  this  hour,  there  her  dominion  was  to  be  perpetu- 
ated? Could  the  Reformers  have  pleaded  that  they  were 
innocent  of  the  blood  of  those  hundreds  and  thousands  who, 
in  pursuance  of  this  arrangement,  would  have  to  yield  up 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINCES  1201 

their  lives  in  popish  lands  ?  This  would  have  been  to  betray, 
at  that  supreme  hour,  the  cause  of  the  gospel  and  the  lib- 
erties of  Christendom."'  Rather  would  they  "sacrifice 
everything,  even  their  states,  their  crowns,  and  their  lives.  "^ 

"Let  us  reject  this  decree,"  said  the  princes.  "In  matters 
of  conscience  the  majority  has  no  power."  The  deputies 
declared:  "It  is  to  the  decree  of  1526  that  we  are  indebted 
for  the  peace  that  the  empire  enjoys:  its  abolition  would  fill 
Germany  with  troubles  and  divisions.  The  Diet  is  incom- 
petent to  do  more  than  preserve  religious  liberty  until  the 
council  meets. "  "  To  protect  liberty  of  conscience  is  the  duty 
of  the  state,  and  this  is  the  limit  of  its  authority  in  matters 
of  religion.  Every  secular  government  that  attempts  to  reg- 
ulate or  enforce  religious  observances  by  civil  authority,  is 
sacrificing  the  very  principle  for  which  the  evangelical  Chris- 
tians so  nobly  struggled. 

The  papists  determined  to  put  down  what  they  termed 
' '  daring  obstinacy. ' '  They  began  by  endeavoring  to  cause 
divisions  among  the  supporters  of  the  Reformation,  and  to 
intimidate  all  who  had  not  openly  declared  in  its  favor.  The 
representatives  of  the  free  cities  were  at  last  summoned  be- 
fore the  Diet,  and  required  to  declare  whether  they  would 
accede  to  the  terms  of  the  proposition.  They  pleaded  for 
delay,  but  in  vain.  When  brought  to  the  test,  nearly  one  half 
their  number  sided  with  the  Reformers.  Those  who  thus 
refused  to  sacrifice  liberty  of  conscience  and  the  right  of 
individual  judgment,  well  knew  that  their  position  marked 
them  for  future  criticism,  condemnation,  and  persecution. 
Said  one  of  the  delegates,  "We  must  either  deny  the  word 
of  God,  or  —  be  burnt. ' ' " 

King  Ferdinand,  the  emperor's  representative  at  the  Diet, 
saw  that  the  decree  would  cause  serious  divisions  unless  the 
I)rinees  could  be  induced  to  accept  and  sustain  it.  He  there- 
fore tried  the  art  of  persuasion,  well  knowing  that  to  employ 
force  with  such  men  would  only  render  them  the  more  deter- 
mined. He  "begged  the  princes  to  accept  the  decree,  as- 
suring them  that  the  emperor  would  be  exceedingly  pleased 
*Wylie,  b.  9,  ch.  15.  'D'Aubign^,  b.  13,  cb.  5. 


202  THE   GREAT  CONTUOVERSY 

with  them,"  But  these  faithful  men  acknowledged  an  au- 
thority above  that  of  earthly  rulers,  and  they  answered 
calmly,  "We  will  obey  the  emperor  in  everything  that  may 
contribute  to  maintain  peace  and  the  honor  of  God."' 

In  the  presence  of  the  Diet,  the  king  at  last  announced  to 
the  elector  and  his  friends  that  the  edict  "was  about  to  be 
drawn  up  in  the  form  of  an  imperial  decree,"  and  that  "their 
only  remaining  course  was  to  submit  to  the  majority."  Hav- 
ing thus  spoken,  he  withdrew  from  the  assembly,  giving  the 
Reformers  no  opportunity  for  deliberation  or  reply.  "To 
no  purpose  they  sent  a  deputation  entreating  the  king  to 
return."  To  their  remonstrances  he  answered  only,  "It  is 
a  settled  affair ;  submission  is  all  that  remains. ' '  * 

The  imperial  party  were  convinced  that  the  Christian 
princes  would  adhere  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  superior  to 
human  doctrines  and  requirements;  and  they  knew  that 
wherever  this  principle  was  accepted,  the  papacy  would 
eventually  be  overthrown.  But,  like  thousands  since  their 
time,  looking  only  "at  the  things  which  are  seen,"  they  flat- 
tered themselves  that  the  cause  of  the  emperor  and  the  pope 
was  strong,  and  that  of  the  Reformers  weak.  Had  the  Re- 
formers depended  upon  human  aid  alone,  they  would  have 
been  as  powerless  as  the  papists  supposed.  But  though  weak 
in  numbers,  and  at  variance  with  Rome,  they  had  their 
strength.  They  appealed  "from  the  report  of  the  Diet  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  from  the  emperor  Charles  to  Jesus 
Christ,  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords. ' ' ' 

As  Ferdinand  had  refused  to  regard  their  conscientious 
convictions,  the  princes  decided  not  to  heed  his  absence,  but 
to  bring  their  Protest  before  the  national  council  without 
delay.  A  solemn  declaration  was  therefore  drawn  up,  and 
presented  to  the  Diet: 

"We  protest  by  these  presents,  before  God,  our  only  Crea- 
tor, Preserver,  Redeemer,  and  Saviour,  and  who  will  one 
day  be  our  Judge,  as  well  as  before  all  men  and  all  crea- 
tures, that  we,  for  us  and  for  our  people,  neither  consent 
nor  adhere  in  any  manner  whatsoever  to  the  proposed  decree, 
*D'Aubigne,  b.  13,  ch.  5.  'Idem,  b.  13,  ch.  6. 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINCES  203 

in  anything  that  is  contrary  to  God,  to  His  holy  word,  to 
our  right  consciencej  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls." 

' '  What !  we  ratify  this  edict !  We  assert  that  when  Al- 
mighty God  calls  a  man  to  His  knowledge,  this  man  never- 
theless cannot  receive  the  knowledge  of  God?"  "There  is 
no  sure  doctrine  but  such  as  is  conformable  to  the  word 
of  God.  .  .  .  The  Lord  forbids  the  teaching  of  any  other 
doctrine.  .  .  .  The  Holy  Scriptures  ought  to  be  explained 
by  other  and  clearer  texts;  .  .  .  this  holy  book  is,  in  all 
things  necessary  for  the  Christian,  easy  of  understanding, 
and  calculated  to  scatter  the  darkness.  We  are  resolved, 
with  the  grace  of  God,  to  maintain  the  pure  and  exclusive 
preaching  of  His  only  word,  such  as  it  is  contained  in  the 
biblical  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  without 
adding  anytliing  thereto  that  may  be  contrary  to  it.  This 
Word  is  the  only  truth;  it  is  the  sure  rule  of  all  doctrine 
and  of  all  life,  and  can  never  fail  or  deceive  us.  He  who 
builds  on  this  foundation  shall  stand  against  all  the  powers 
of  hell,  while  all  the  human  vanities  that  are  set  up  against 
it  shall  fall  before  the  face  of  God." 

"For  this  reason  we  reject  the  yoke  that  is  imposed  on 
us."  "At  the  same  time  we  are  in  expectation  that  his 
imperial  majesty  will  behave  toward  us  like  a  Christian 
prince  who  loves  God  above  all  things;  and  we  declare  our- 
selves ready  to  pay  unto  him,  as  well  as  unto  you,  gracious 
lords,  all  the  affection  and  obedience  that  are  our  just  and 
legitimate  duty. ' '  * 

A  deep  impression  was  made  upon  the  Diet.  The  major- 
ity were  filled  with  amazement  and  alarm  at  the  boldness 
of  the  protesters.  The  future  appeared  to  them  stormy  and 
uncertain.  Dissension,  strife,  and  bloodshed  seemed  inevit- 
able. But  the  Reformers,  assured  of  the  justice  of  their 
cause,  and  relying  upon  the  arm  of  Omnipotence,  were  "full 
of  courage  and  firmness." 

"The  principles  contained  in  this  celebrated  Protest  .  .  . 
constitute  the  very  essence  of  Protestantism.  Now  this 
Protest  opposes  two  abuses  of  man  in  matters  of  faith:  the 
•D'Aubign^,  b.  13,  ch.  6. 


204  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

first  is  the  intrusion  of  the  civil  magistrate,  and  the  second 
the  arbitrary  authority  of  the  church.  Instead  of  these 
abuses,  Protestantism  sets  the  power  of  conscience  above  the 
magistrate,  and  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God  above  the 
visible  church.  In  the  first  place,  it  rejects  the  civil  power 
in  divine  things,  and  says  with  the  prophets  and  apostles, 
'We  must  obey  God  rather  than  man.'  In  presence  of  the 
cro^vn  of  Charles  the  Fifth,  it  uplifts  the  crown  of  Jesus 
Christ.  But  it  goes  farther:  it  lays  down  the  principle  that 
all  human  teacliing  should  be  subordinate  to  the  oracles 
of  God.'"  The  protesters  had  moreover  affirmed  their  right 
to  utter  freely  their  convictions  of  truth.  They  w'ould  not 
only  believe  and  obey,  but  teach  what  the  word  of  God 
presents,  and  they  denied  the  right  of  priest  or  magistrate 
to  interfere.  The  Protest  of  Spires  was  a  solemn  witness 
against  religious  intolerance,  and  an  assertion  of  the  right 
of  all  men  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their 
own  consciences. 

The  declaration  had  been  made.  It  was  written  in  the 
memory  of  thousands,  and  registered  in  the  books  of  heaven, 
where  no  effort  of  man  could  erase  it.  All  evangelical  Ger- 
many adopted  the  Protest  as  the  expression  of  its  faith. 
Everyvvhere  men  beheld  in  this  declaration  the  promise  of  a 
new  and  better  era.  Said  one  of  the  princes  to  the  Prot- 
estants of  Spires,  "May  the  Almighty,  who  has  given  you 
grace  to  confess  energetically,  freely,  and  fearlessly,  preserve 
you  in  that  Christian  firmness  until  the  day  of  eternity."* 

Had  the  Reformation,  after  attaining  a  degree  of  success, 
consented  to  temporize  to  secure  favor  wdth  the  world,  it 
would  have  been  untrue  to  God  and  to  itself,  and  would  thus 
have  insured  its  own  destruction.  The  experience  of  these 
noble  Reformers  contains  a  lesson  for  all  succeeding  ages. 
Satan's  manner  of  working  against  God  and  His  word  has 
not  changed;  he  is  still  as  much  opposed  to  the  Scriptures 
being  made  the  guide  of  life  as  in  the  sixteenth  century.  In 
our  time  there  is  a  wide  departure  from  their  doctrines  and 
precepts,  and  there  is  need  of  a  return  to  the  great  Prot- 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  13,  ch.  6. 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINCES  206 

estant  principle, —  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only,  as  the  rule 
of  faith  and  duty.  Satan  is  still  working  through  every 
means  which  he  can  control  to  destroy  religious  liberty. 
The  antichristian  power  which  the  protesters  of  Spires 
rejected,  is  now  with  renewed  vigor  seeking  to  re-establish 
its  lost  supremacy.  The  same  unswerving  adherence  to  the 
word  of  God  manifested  at  that  crisis  of  the  Reformation, 
is  the  only  hope  of  reform  to-day. 

There  appeared  tokens  of  danger  to  the  Protestants; 
there  were  tokens,  also,  that  the  divine  hand  was  stretched 
out  to  protect  the  faithful.  It  was  about  this  time  that 
"Melanehthon  hastily  conducted  through  the  streets  of 
Spires  toward  the  Rhine  his  friend  Simon  Grynaeus,  press- 
ing him  to  cross  the  river.  The  latter  was  astonished  at 
such  precipitation.  'An  old  man  of  grave  and  solemn  air, 
but  who  is  unknown  to  me,'  said  Melanehthon,  'appeared 
before  me  and  said,  In  a  minute  officers  of  justice  will  be 
sent  by  Ferdinand  to  arrest  Gryngeus.'  " 

During  the  day,  Grynosus  had  been  scandalized  at  a 
sermon  by  Faber,  a  leading  papal  doctor;  and  at  the  close, 
remonstrated  with  him  for  defending  "certain  detestable 
errors."  "Faber  dissembled  his  anger,  but  immediately 
after  repaired  to  the  king,  from  whom  he  had  obtained  an 
order  against  the  importunate  professor  of  Heidelberg. 
Melanehthon  doubted  not  that  God  had  saved  his  friend 
by  sending  one  of  His  holy  angels  to  forewarn  him. 

"Motionless  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  he  waited  until 
the  waters  of  that  stream  had  rescued  Grynaeus  from  his 
persecutors.  'At  last,'  cried  IMelanchthon,  as  he  saw  him 
on  the  opposite  side,  'at  last  he  is  torn  from  the  cruel  jaws 
of  those  who  thirst  for  innocent  blood,*  "When  he  returned 
to  his  house,  Melanehthon  was  informed  that  officers  in 
search  of  Gryna-us  had  ransacked  it  from  top  to  bottom.  * '  * 

The  Reformation  was  to  be  brought  into  greater  prom- 
inence before  the  mighty  ones  of  the  earth.  The  evangelical 
princes  had  been  denied  a  hearing  by  King  Ferdinand;  but 
they  were  to  be  granted  an  opportunity  to  present  their 
•  D  'AubiguS,  b.  13,  ch.  6. 


206  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

cause  in  the  presence  of  the  emperor  and  the  assembled 
dignitaries  of  church  and  state.  To  quiet  the  dissensions 
which  disturbed  the  empire,  Charles  V.,  in  the  year  follow- 
ing the  Protest  of  Spires,  convoked  a  Diet  at  Augsburg, 
over  which  he  announced  his  intention  to  preside  in  person. 
Thither  the  Protestant  leaders  were  summoned. 

Great  dangers  threatened  the  Reformation;  but  its  advo- 
cates still  trusted  their  cause  with  God,  and  pledged  them- 
selves to  be  firm  to  the  gospel.  The  elector  of  Saxony  was 
urged  by  his  councilors  not  to  appear  at  the  Diet.  The 
emperor,  they  said,  required  the  attendance  of  the  princes 
in  order  to  draw  them  into  a  snare.  "Is  it  not  risking 
everything  to  go  and  shut  oneself  up  within  the  walls  of  a 
city  with  a  powerful  enemy?"  But  others  nobly  declared, 
"Let  the  princes  only  comport  themselves  with  courage,  and 
God's  cause  is  saved."  "God  is  faithful;  lie  will  not  aban- 
don us,"*  said  Luther.  The  elector  set  out,  with  his  retinue, 
for  Augsburg.  All  were  acquainted  with  the  dangers  that 
menaced  him,  and  many  went  forward  with  gloomy  counte- 
nance and  troubled  heart.  But  Luther,  who  accompanied 
them  as  far  as  Coburg,  revived  their  sinking  faith  by  sing- 
ing the  hymn,  written  on  that  journey,  "A  strong  tower 
is  our  God."  ^lany  an  anxious  foreboding  was  banished, 
many  a  heavy  heart  lightened,  at  the  sound  of  the  inspir- 
ing strains. 

The  reformed  princes  had  determined  upon  having  a 
statement  of  their  \aews  in  systematic  form,  with  the  evi- 
dence from  the  Scriptures,  to  present  before  the  Diet;  and 
the  task  of  its  preparation  was  committed  to  Luther,  Melanch- 
thon,  and  their  associates.  This  Confession  was  accepted 
by  the  Protestants  as  an  exposition  of  their  faith,  and  they 
assembled  to  affix  their  names  to  the  important  document. 
It  was  a  solemn  and  trying  time.  The  Reformers  were  solic- 
itous that  their  cause  should  not  be  confounded  with  polit- 
ical questions;  they  felt  that  the  Reformation  should  exer- 
cise no  other  influence  than  that  which  proceeds  from  the 
»D'Aubigng,  b.  14,  ch.  2. 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINCES  207 

word  of  God.  As  the  Christian  princes  advanced  to  sign 
the  Confession,  Melanchthon  interposed,  saying,  "It  is  for 
the  theologians  and  ministers  to  propose  these  things;  let 
us  reserve  for  other  matters  the  authority  of  the  mighty  ones 
of  the  earth."  "God  forbid,"  replied  John  of  Saxony, 
"that  you  should  exclude  me.  I  am  resolved  to  do  what 
is  right,  without  troubling  myself  about  my  crown.  I  desire 
to  confess  the  Lord.  My  electoral  hat  and  my  ermine 
are  not  so  precious  to  me  as  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Having  thus  spoken,  he  wrote  down  his  name.  Said  another 
of  the  princes  as  he  took  the  pen,  "If  the  honor  of  my 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  requires  it,  I  am  ready  ...  to  leave  my 
goods  and  life  behind."  "I  would  rather  renounce  my  sub- 
jects and  my  states,  rather  quit  the  country  of  my  fathers 
staff  in  hand,"  he  continued,  "than  receive  any  other  doc- 
trine than  that  which  is  contained  in  this  Confession. ' '  * 
Such  was  the  faith  and  daring  of  those  men  of  God. 

The  appointed  time  came  to  appear  before  the  emperor. 
Charles  V.,  seated  upon  his  throne,  surrounded  by  the 
electors  and  the  princes,  gave  audience  to  the  Protestant 
Reformers.  The  confession  of  their  faith  was  read.  In  that 
august  assembly  the  truths  of  the  gospel  were  clearly  set 
forth,  and  the  errors  of  the  papal  church  were  pointed  out. 
Well  has  that  day  been  pronounced  "the  greatest  day  of  the 
Reformation,  and  one  of  the  most  glorious  in  the  history  of 
Christianity  and  of  mankind."' 

But  a  few  years  had  passed  since  the  monk  of  "Witten- 
berg stood  alone  at  Worms  before  the  national  council.  Now 
in  his  stead  were  the  noblest  and  most  powerful  princes 
of  the  empire.  Luther  had  been  forbidden  to  appear  at 
Augsburg,  but  he  had  been  present  by  his  words  and  prayers. 
"I  am  overjoyed,"  he  wrote,  "that  I  have  lived  until  this 
hour,  in  which  Christ  has  been  publicly  exalted  by  such 
illustrious  confessors,  and  in  so  glorious  an  assembly."* 
Thus  was  fulfilled  what  the  Scripture  says,  "I  will  speak 
of   Thy   testimonies  before  kings. "  * 

»D'Aubigiie,  b.  14,  ch.  6,       'Idem,  b.  14,  cb.  7.      "Ps.  119:46, 


208  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  the  days  of  Paul,  the  gospel  for  which  he  was  impris- 
oned was  thus  brought  before  the  princes  and  nobles  of  the 
imperial  city.  So  on  this  occasion,  that  which  the  em- 
peror had  forbidden  to  be  preached  from  the  pulpit,  was  pro- 
claimed in  the  palace;  what  many  had  regarded  as  unfit 
even  for  servants  to  listen  to,  was  heard  with  wonder  by  the 
masters  and  lords  of  the  empire.  Kings  and  great  men 
were  the  auditory,  crowned  princes  were  the  preachers,  and 
the  sermon  was  the  royal  truth  of  God.  ''Since  the  apos- 
tolic age,"  says  a  writer,  "there  has  never  been  a  greater 
work  or  a  more  magnificent  confession."* 

"All  that  the  Lutherans  have  said  is  true;  we  can- 
not deny  it,"  declared  a  papist  bishop.  "Can  you  refute 
by  sound  reasons  the  Cohfession  made  by  the  elector  and 
his  allies?"  asked  another,  of  Doctor  Eck.  "With  the  writ- 
ings of  the  apostles  and  prophets  —  no!"  was  the  reply; 
"but  with  those  of  the  Fathers  and  of  the  councils' — yes!" 
"I  understand,"  responded  the  questioner.  "The  Lutherans, 
according  to  you,  are  in  Scripture,  and  we  are  outside."* 

Some  of  the  iirinces  of  Germany  were  won  to  the  re- 
formed faith.  The  emperor  himself  declared  that  the  Prot- 
estant articles  were  but  the  truth.  The  Confession  was 
translated  into  many  languages,  and  circulated  through  all 
Europe,  and  it  has  been  accepted  by  millions  in  succeeding 
generations   as   the   expression   of   their   faith. 

God's  faithful  servants  were  not  toiling  alone.  While 
"principalities  and  powers  and  wicked  spirits  in  high  places" 
were  leagued  against  them,  the  Lord  did  not  forsake  His 
people.  Could  their  eyes  have  been  opened,  they  would 
have  seen  as  marked  evidence  of  divine  presence  and  aid 
as  was  granted  to  a  prophet  of  old.  When  Elisha's  servant 
pointed  his  master  to  the  hostile  army  surrounding  them, 
and  cutting  off  all  opportunity  for  escape,  the  prophet  prayed, 
"Lord,  I  pray  Thee,  open  his  eyes,  that  he  may  see."'  And, 
lo,  the  mountain  was  filled  with  chariots  and  horses  of  fire,  the 
army  of  heaven  stationed  to  protect  the  man  of  God.  Thus  did 
angels  guard  the  workers  in  the  cause  of  the  Reformation. 
ip'Aubigne,  b.  14,  clj,  7.  » Idem,  b.  14,  eb.  8.         *Z  Kinga  6:17, 


PROTEST  OF  THE  PRINCES  209 

One  of  the  principles  most  firmly  maintained  by  Luther 
was  that  there  should  be  no  resort  to  secular  power  in  sup- 
port of  the  Reformation,  and  no  appeal  to  arms  for  its  de- 
fense. He  rejoiced  that  the  gospel  was  confessed  by  princes 
of  the  empire ;  but  when  they  proposed  to  unite  in  a  defensive 
league,  he  declared  that  ''the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  should 
be  defended  by  God  alone.  .  .  .  The  less  man  meddled  in 
the  work,  the  more  striking  would  be  God's  intervention  in 
its  behalf.  All  the  politic  precautions  suggested  were,  in  his 
view,  attributable  to  unworthy  fear  and  sinful  mistrust.'" 

When  powerful  foes  were  uniting  to  overthrow  the  re- 
formed faith,  and  thousands  of  swords  seemed  about  to  be 
unsheathed  against  it,  Luther  wrote:  "Satan  is  putting 
forth  his  fury;  ungodly  pontiffs  are  conspiring;  and  we  are 
threatened  with  war.  Exhort  the  people  to  contend  val- 
iantly before  the  throne  of  the  Lord,  by  faith  and  prayer, 
so  that  our  enemies,  vanquished  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  may 
be  constrained  to  peace.  Our  chief  want,  our  chief  labor,  is 
prayer;  let  the  people  know  that  they  are  now  exposed  to  the 
edge  of  the  sword  and  to  the  rage  of  Satan,  and  let  them 
pray."' 

Again,  at  a  later  date,  referring  to  the  league  contemplated 
by  the  reformed  princes,  Luther  declared  that  the  only  weapon 
employed  in  this  warfare  should  be  "the  sword  of  the  Spirit." 
He  wrote  to  the  elector  of  Saxony:  "We  cannot  on  our  con- 
science approve  of  the  proposed  alliance.  We  would  rather 
die  ten  times  than  see  our  gospel  cause  one  drop  of  blood 
to  be  shed.  Our  part  is  to  be  like  lambs  of  the  slaughter. 
The  cross  of  Christ  must  be  borne.  Let  your  highness  be 
witliout  fear.  We  shall  do  more  by  our  prayers  than  all 
our  enemies  by  their  boastings.  Only  let  not  your  hands 
be  stained  with  the  blood  of  your  brethren.  If  the  em- 
peror requires  us  to  be  given  up  to  his  tribunals,  we  are 
ready  to  appear.  You  cannot  defend  our  faith:  each  one 
should  believe  at  his  own  risk  and  peril."* 

»D'Aubign6,  b.  10,  ch.  14   (London  erl.). 
'  P  'Aubigng,  b.  iO,  ch.  14.  » Idem,  b.   14,  ch.  1. 


210  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

From  the  secret  place  of  prayer  came  the  power  that 
shook  the  world  in  the  Great  Reformation.  There  with  holy 
calmness,  the  servants  of  the  Lord  set  their  feet  upon  the 
rock  of  His  promises.  During  the  struggle  at  Augsburg, 
Luther  "did  not  pass  a  day  \\dthout  devoting  three  hours  at 
least  to  prayer,  and  they  were  hours  selected  from  those  the 
most  favorable  to  study."  In  the  privacy  of  his  chamber 
he  was  heard  to  pour  out  his  soul  before  God  in  words  "full 
of  adoration,  fear,  and  hope,  as  when  one  speaks  to  a  friend." 
"I  know  that  Thou  art  our  Father  and  our  God,"  he  said, 
"and  that  Thou  wilt  scatter  the  persecutors  of  Thy  children; 
for  Thou  art  Thyself  endangered  with  us.  All  this  matter 
is  Thine,  and  it  is  only  by  Thy  constraint  that  we  have  put 
our  hands  to  it.     Defend  us,  then,  0  Father!"' 

To  Melanchthon,  who  was  crushed  under  the  burden  of 
anxiety  and  fear,  he  wrote:  "Grace  and  peace  in  Christ  — 
in  Christ,  I  say,  and  not  in  the  world.  Amen.  I  hate  with 
exceeding  hatred  those  extreme  cares  which  consume  you. 
If  the  cause  is  unjust,  abandon  it;  if  the  cause  is  just,  why 
should  we  belie  the  promises  of  Him  who  comm.ands  us  to 
sleep  without  fear?  .  .  .  Christ  will  not  be  wanting  to  the 
work  of  justice  and  of  truth.  He  lives.  He  reigns;  what 
fear,  then,  can  we  have  ? "  ' 

God  did  listen  to  the  cries  of  His  servants.  He  gave  to 
princes  and  ministers  grace  and  courage  to  maintain  the 
truth  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world.  Saith 
the  Lord,  "Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a  chief  corner-stone,  elect, 
precious:  and  he  that  believeth  on  Him  shall  not  be  con- 
founded."' The  Protestant  Reformers  had  built  on  Christ, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  could  not  prevail  against  them. 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  14,  ch.  6.  U  Peter  2:6. 


THE   FRENCH    REFORMATION -12 

The  Protest  of  Spires  and  the  Confession  at  Augsburg, 
which  marked  the  triumph  of  the  Reformation  in  Germany, 
were  followed  by  years  of  conflict  and  darkness.  Weakened 
by  divisions  among  its  supporters,  and  assailed  by  powerful 
foes,  Protestantism  seemed  destined  to  be  utterly  destroyed. 
Thousands  sealed  their  testimony  with  their  blood.  Civil 
war  broke  out ;  the  Protestant  cause  was  betrayed  by  one  of 
its  leading  adherents;  the  noblest  of  the  reformed  princes 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  emperor,  and  were  dragged  as 
captives  from  town  to  town.  But  in  the  moment  of  his 
apparent  triumph,  the  emperor  was  smitten  with  defeat. 
He  saw  the  prey  wrested  from  his  grasp,  and  he  was  forced 
at  last  to  grant  toleration  to  the  doctrines  which  it  had 
been  the  ambition  of  his  life  to  destroy.  He  had  staked 
his  kingdom,  his  treasures,  and  life  itself,  upon  the  crush- 
ing out  of  the  heresy.  Now  he  saw  his  armies  wasted  by 
battle,  his  treasuries  drained,  his  many  kingdoms  threatened 
by  revolt,  while  everywhere  the  faith  which  he  had  vainly 
endeavored  to  suppress,  was  exten/iing.  Charles  V.  had 
been  battling  against  omnipotent  power.  God  had  said, 
"Let  there  be  light,"  but  the  emperor  had  sought  to  keep 
the  darkness  unbroken.  His  purposes  had  failed;  and  in 
premature  old  age,  worn  out  with  the  long  struggle,  he 
abdicated  the  throne,  and  buried  himself  in  a  cloister. 

In  Switzerland,  as  in  Germany,  there  came  dark  days  for 
the   Reformation.     "While   many   cantons   accepted    the    re- 

(211) 


212  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

formed  faith,  others  clung  with  blind  persistence  to  the 
creed  of  Rome.  Their  persecution  of  those  who  desired  to 
receive  the  truth,  iinally  gave  rise  to  civil  war.  Zwingle 
and  many  who  had  united  mth  him  in  reform,  fell  on  the 
bloody  field  of  Cappel.  CEcolampadius,  overcome  by  these 
terrible  disasters,  soon  after  died.  Rome  was  triumphant^ 
and  in  many  places  seemed  about  to  recover  all  that  she  had 
lost.  But  He  whose  counsels  are  from  everlasting  had  not 
forsaken  His  cause  or  His  people.  His  hand  would  bring 
deliverance  for  them.  In  other  lands  He  had  raised  up 
laborers  to  carry  forward  the  reform. 

In  France,  before  the  name  of  Luther  had  been  heard  as 
a  Reformer,  the  day  had  already  begun  to  break.  One  of 
the  first  to  catch  the  light  was  the  aged  Lefevre,  a  man  of 
extensive  learning,  a  professor  in  the  University  of  Paris, 
and  a  sincere  and  zealous  papist.  In  his  researches  into 
ancient  literature  his  attention  was  directed  to  the  Bible, 
and  he  introduced  its  study  among  his  students. 

Lefevre  was  an  enthusiastic  adorer  of  the  saints,  and  he 
had  undertaken  to  prepare  a  history  of  the  saints  and 
martyrs,  as  given  in  the  legends  of  the  church.  This  was  a 
work  which  involved  great  labor;  but  he  had  already  made 
considerable  progress  in  it,  when,  thinking  that  he  might 
obtain  useful  assistance  from  the  Bible,  he  began  its  study 
with  this  object.  Here  indeed  he  found  saints  brought  to 
view,  but  not  such  as  figured  in  the  Roman  calendar.  A 
flood  of  divine  light  broke  in  upon  his  mind.  In  amaze- 
ment and  disgust  he  turned  away  from  his  self-appointed 
task,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  word  of  God.  The  precious 
truths  which  he  there  discovered,  he  soon  began  to  teach. 

In  1512,-  before  either  Luther  or  Zwingle  had  begun  the 
work  of  reform,  Lefevre  wrote:  ''It  is  God  who  gives  us, 
by  faith,  that  righteousness  which  by  grace  alone  justifies 
to  eternal  life."*  Dwelling  upon  the  mysteries  of  redemp- 
tion, he  exclaimed,  ''Oh,  the  unspeakable  greatness  of  that 
exchange, —  the  Sinless  One  is  condemned,  and  he  who  is 
»Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  1. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  213 

guilty  goes  free;  the  Blessing  bears  the  curse,  and  the  cursed 
is  brought  into  blessing;  the  Life  dies,  and  the  dead  live; 
the  Glory  is  whelmed  in  darkness,  and  he  who  knew  noth- 
ing but  confusion  of  face  is  clothed  with  glory. ' ' ' 

And  while  teaching  that  the  glory  of  salvation  belongs 
solely  to  God,  he  also  declared  that  the  duty  of  obedience 
belongs  to  man.  "If  thou  art  a  member  of  Christ's 
church,"  he  said,  "thou  art  a  member  of  His  body;  if 
thou  art  of  Plis  body,  then  thou  art  full  of  the  divine  na- 
ture. .  .  .  Oh,  if  men  could  but  enter  into  the  understand- 
ing of  this  privilege,  how  purely,  chastely,  and  holily  would 
they  live,  and  how  contemptible,  when  compared  with  the 
glory  within  them, —  that  glory  which  the  eye  of  flesh  can- 
not see, —  would  they  deem  all  the  glory  of  this  world. ' '  * 

There  were  some  among  Lefevre's  students  who  listened 
eagerly  to  his  words,  and  who,  long  after  the  teacher's 
voice  should  be  silenced,  w^ere  to  continue  to  declare  the 
truth.  Such  was  William  Farel.  The  son  of  pious  par- 
ents, and  educated  to  accept  with  implicit  faith  the  teach- 
ings of  the  church,  he  might,  with  the  apostle  Paul,  have 
declared  concerning  himself,  "After  the  most  straitest  sect 
of  our  religion  I  lived  a  Pharisee. "  ^  A  devoted  Romanist, 
he  burned  with  zeal  to  destroy  all  who  should  dare  to 
oppose  the  church.  "I  would  gnash  my  teeth  like  a  furi- 
ous wolf,"  he  afterward  said,  referring  to  this  period  of 
his  life,  "when  I  heard  any  one  speaking  against  the  pope."* 
He  had  been  untiring  in  his  adoration  of  the  saints,  in 
company  with  Lefevre  making  the  round  of  the  churches 
of  Paris,  worshiping  at  the  altars,  and  adorning  with  gifts 
the  holy  shrines.  But  these  observances  could  not  bring 
peaice  of  soul.  Conviction  of  sin  fastened  upon  him,  which 
all  the  acts  of  penance  that  he  practised,  failed  to  banish. 
As  to  a  voice  from  heaven,  he  listened  to  the  Reformer's 
words:  "Salvation  is  of  grace."  "The  Innocent  One  is  con- 
demned, and  the  criminal  is  acquitted."     "It  is  the  cross 

•D'Aubigne,  b.  12,  eh.  2   (London  ed.).  'Acts  26:5. 

»WyUe,  b.  13,  ch.  2. 


214  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  Christ  alone  that  openeth  the  gates  of  heaven,  and 
shutteth  the  gates  of  hell. ' ' ' 

Farel  joyfully  accepted  the  truth.  By  a  conversion  like 
that  of  Paul,  he  turned  from  the  bondage  of  tradition  to  the 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  "Instead  of  the  murderous 
heart  of  a  ravening  wolf,  he  came  back,"  he  says,  "quietly, 
like  a  meek  and  harmless  lamb,  having  his  heart  entirely 
withdrawTi   from   the   pope,    and   given   to   Jesus   Christ. ' ' ' 

While  Lefevre  continued  to  spread  the  light  among  his 
students,  Farel,  as  zealous  in  the  cause  of  Christ  as  he  had 
been  in  that  of  the  pope,  went  forth  to  declare  the  truth  in 
public.  A  dignitary  of  the  church,  the  bishop  of  Meaux, 
soon  after  united  with  them.  Other  teachers  who  ranked 
high  for  their  ability  and  learning,  joined  in  proclaiming 
the  gospel,  and  it  won  adherents  among  all  classes,  from  \\\e 
homes  of  artisans  and  peasants  to  the  palace  of  the  king. 
The  sister  of  Francis  I.,  then  the  reigning  monarch,  ac- 
cepted the  reformed  faith.  The  king  himself,  and  the  queen 
mother,  appeared  for  a  time  to  regard  it  with  favor,  and 
with  high  hopes  the  Reformers  looked  forward  to  the  time 
when  France  should  be  won  to  the  gospel. 

But  their  hopes  were  not  to  be  realized.  Trial  and  per- 
secution awaited  the  disciples  of  Christ.  This,  however,  was 
mercifully  veiled  from  their  eyes.  A  time  of  peace  inter- 
vened, that  they  might  gain  strength  to  meet  the  tempest ; 
and  the  Reformation  made  rapid  progress.  The  bishop  of 
Meaux  labored  zealously  in  his  own  diocese  to  instruct  both 
the  clergy  and  the  people.  Ignorant  and  immoral  priests 
were  removed,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  replaced  by  men  of 
learning  and  piety.  The  bishop  greatly  desired  that  his 
people  might  have  access  to  the  word  of  God  for  themselves, 
and  this  was  soon  accomplished.  Lefevre  undertook  the 
translation  of  the  New  Testament;  and  at  the  very  time 
when  Luther's  German  Bible  was  issuing  from  the  press  in 
Wittenberg,  the  French  New  Testament  was  published  at 
Meaux.  The  bishop  spared  no  labor  or  expense  to  circulate 
^Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  2.  =*  D 'Aubigne,  b.  12,  ch.  3. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  216 

it  in  his  parishes,  and  soon  the  peasants  of  Meaux  were 
in  possession  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

As  travelers  perishing  from  thirst  welcome  with  joy  a 
living  water-spring,  so  did  these  souls  receive  the  message  of 
heaven.  The  laborers  in  the  field,  the  artisans  in  the  work- 
shop, cheered  their  daily  toil  by  talking  of  the  precious 
truths  of  the  Bible.  At  evening,  instead  of  resorting  to  the 
wine  shops,  they  assembled  in  one  another's  homes  to  read 
God's  word  and  join  in  prayer  and  praise.  A  great  change 
was  soon  manifest  in  these  communities.  Though  belong- 
ing to  the  humblest  class,  an  unlearned  and  hard-working 
peasantry,  the  reforming,  uplifting  power  of  divine  grace 
was  seen  in  their  lives.  Humble,  loving,  and  holy,  they 
stood  as  witnesses  to  what  the  gospel  will  accomplish  for 
those  who  receive  it  in  sincerity. 

The  light  kindled  at  Meaux  shed  its  beams  afar.  Every 
day  the  number  of  converts  was  increasing.  The  rage  of 
the  hierarchy  was  for  a  time  held  in  check  by  the  king,  who 
despised  the  narrow  bigotry  of  the  monks;  but  the  papal 
leaders  finally  prevailed.  Now  the  stake  was  set  up.  The 
bishop  of  Meaux,  forced  to  choose  between  the  fire  and  re- 
cantation, accepted  the  easier  path ;  but  notwithstanding  the 
leader's  fall,  his  flock  remained  steadfast.  Many  witnessed 
for  the  truth  amid  the  flames.  By  their  courage  and  fidelity 
at  the  stake,  these  humble  Christians  spoke  to  thousands 
who  in  days  of  peace  had  never  heard  their  testimony. 

It  was  not  alone  the  humble  and  the  poor,  that  amid 
suffering  and  scorn  dared  to  bear  witness  for  Christ.  In  the 
lordly  halls  of  the  castle  and  the  palace,  there  were  kingly 
souls  by  whom  truth  was  valued  above  wealth  or  rank  or 
even  life.  Kingly  armor  concealed  a  loftier  and  more  stead- 
fast spirit  than  did  the  bishop's  robe  and  mitre.  Louis  de 
Berquin  was  of.  noble  birth.  A  brave  and  courtly  knight, 
he  was  devoted  to  study,  polished  in  manners,  and  of  blame- 
less morals.  "He  was,"  says  a  writer,  "a  great  follower  of 
the  papistical  constitutions,  and  a  great  hearer  of  masses  and 
sermons;  .  .  .  and  he  crowned  all  his  other  virtues  by  hold- 


216  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ing  Lutheranism  in  special  abhorrence,"  But,  like  so  many 
others,  providentially  guided  to  the  Bible,  he  was  amazed 
to  find  there,  ''not  the  doctrines  of  Rome,  but  the  doctrines 
of  Luther."*  Henceforth  he  gave  himself  with  entire  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  the  gospel. 

"The  most  learned  of  the  nobles  of  France,"  his  genius 
and  eloquence,  his  indomitable  courage  and  heroic  zeal, 
and  his  influence  at  court, —  for  he  was  a  favorite  with  the 
king, —  caused  him  to  be  regarded  by  many  as  one  destined 
to  be  the  Reformer  of  his  country.  Said  Beza,  "Berquin 
would  have  been  a  second  Luther,  had  he  found  in  Francis 
I.  a  second  elector."  "He  is  worse  than  Luther,"'  cried 
the  papists.  More  dreaded  he  was  indeed  by  the  Roman- 
ists of  France.  They  thrust  him  into  prison  as  a  heretic, 
but  he  was  set  at  liberty  by  the  king.  For  years  the  strug- 
gle continued.  Francis,  wavering  between  Rome  and  the 
Reformation,  alternately  tolerated  and  restrained  the  fierce 
zeal  of  the  monks.  Berquin  was  three  times  imprisoned 
by  the  papal  authorities,  only  to  be  released  by  the  monarch, 
who,  in  admiration  of  his  genius  and  his  nobility  of  char- 
acter, refused  to  sacrifice  him  to  the  malice  of  the  hierarchy. 

Berquin  was  repeatedly  warned  of  the  danger  that 
threatened  him  in  France,  and  urged  to  follow  the  steps 
of  those  who  had  found  safety  in  voluntary  exile.  The 
timid  and  time-serving  Erasmus,  who  with  all  the  splendor 
of  his  scholarship  failed  of  that  moral  greatness  which 'holds 
life  and  honor  subservient  to  truth,  wrote  to  Berquin : 
"Ask  to  be  sent  as  ambassador  to  some  foreign  country; 
go  and  travel  in  Germany.  You  know  Beda  and  such  as 
he  — ■  he  is  a  thousand-headed  monster,  darting  venom  on 
every  side.  Your  enemies  are  named  legion.  Were  your 
cause  better  than  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  will  not  let 
you  go  till  they  have  miserably  destroyed  you.  Do  not 
trust  too  much  to  the  king's  protection.  At  all  events, 
do  not  compromise  me  with  the  faculty  of  theology."* 

But  as  dangers  thickened,  Berquin 's  zeal  only  waxed  the 
stronger.     So  far  from  adopting  the  politic  and  self-serving 

*Wjlie,  b.  13,  cb.  9. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  217 

counsel  of  Erasmus,  lie  determined  upon  still  bolder  meas- 
ures. He  would  not  only  stand  in  defense  of  the  truth,  but 
he  would  attack  error.  The  charge  of  heresy  which  the 
Romanists  were  seeking  to  fasten  upon  him,  he  would  rivet 
upon  them.  The  most  active  and  bitter  of  his  opponents 
were  the  learned  doctors  and  monks  of  the  theological 
department  in  the  great  University  of  Paris,  one  of  the  high- 
est ecclesiastical  authorities  both  in  the  city  and  the  nation. 
From  the  writings  of  these  doctors,  Berquin  drew  twelve 
propositions  which  he  publicly  declared  to  be  "opposed  to 
the  Bible,  and  heretical;"  and  he  appealed  to  the  king  to 
act  as  judge  in  the  controversy. 

The  monarch,  not  loath  to  bring  into  contrast  the  power 
and  acuteness  of  the  opposing  champions,  and  glad  of  an 
opportunity  of  humbling  the  pride  of  these  haughty  monks, 
bade  the  Romanists  defend  their  cause  by  the  Bible.  This 
weapon,  they  well  knew,  would  avail  them  little;  imprison- 
ment, torture,  and  the  stake  were  arms  which  they  better 
understood  how  to  wield.  Now  the  tables  were  turned,  and 
they  saw  themselves  about  to  fall  into  the  pit  into  which 
they  had  hoped  to  plunge  Berquin.  In  amazement  they 
looked  about  them  for  some  way  of  escape. 

**Just  at  that  time  an  image  of  the  Virgin  at  the 
comer  of  one  of  the  streets,  was  mutilated."  There  was 
great  excitement  in  the  city.  Crowds  of  people  flocked  to 
the  place,  with  expressions  of  mourning  and  indignation. 
The  king  also  was  deeply  moved.  Here  was  an  advantage 
which  the  monks  could  turn  to  good  account,  and  they  were 
quick  to  improve  it.  ''These  are  the  fruits  of  the  doctrines 
of  Beniuin,"  they  cried.  *'A11  is  about  to  be  overthrown 
—  religion,  the  laws,  the  throne  itself  —  by  this  Lutlieran 
conspiracy."  '  i':. '.    ' 

Again  Berquin  was  apprehended.  The  king  withdrew 
from  Paris,  and  the  monks  were  thus  left  free  to  work  their 
will.  The  Reformer  was  tried,  and  condemned  to  die,  and 
lest  Francis  should  even  yet  interpose  to  save  him,  the 
sentence  was  executed  on  the  very  day  it  was  pronounced. 

•WyHe,  b.  13,  ch.  9. 


218  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

At  noon  Berquin  was  conducted  to  the  place  of  death.  An 
immense  throng  gathered  to  witness  the  event,  and  there 
were  many  who  saw  with  astonishment  and  misgiving  that 
the  victim  had  been  chosen  from  the  best  and  bravest  of 
the  noble  families  of  France.  Amazement,  indignation, 
scorn,  and  bitter  hatred  darkened  the  faces  of  that  surg- 
ing crowd;  but  upon  one  face  no  shadow  rested.  The 
martyr's  thoughts  were  far  from  that  scene  of  tumult;  he 
was  conscious  only  of  the  presence  of  his  Lord, 

The  wretched  tumbrel  upon  which  he  rode,  the  frowning 
faces  of  his  persecutors,  the  dreadful  death  to  which  he  was 
going, —  these  he  heeded  not;  He  who  liveth  and  was  dead, 
and  is  alive  forevermore,  and  hath  the  keys  of  death  and 
of  hell,  was  beside  him.  Berquin 's  countenance  was  radi- 
ant with  the  light  and  peace  of  heaven.  He  had  attired 
himself  in  goodly  raiment,  wearing  "a  cloak  of  velvet,  a 
doublet  of  satin  and  damask,  and  golden  hose,'"  He  was 
about  to  testify  to  liis  faith  in  presence  of  the  King  of  kings 
and  the  witnessing  universe,  and  no  token  of  mourning 
should  belie  his  joy. 

As  the  procession  moved  slowly  through  the  crowded 
streets,  the  people  marked  with  wonder  the  unclouded  peace, 
the  joyous  triumph,  of  his  look  and  bearing.  "He  is,"  they 
said,  "like  one  who  sits  in  a  temple,  and  meditates  on  holy 
things.  "=* 

At  the  stake,  Berquin  endeavored  to  address  a  few  words 
to  the  people;  but  the  monks,  fearing  the  result,  began  to 
shout,  and  the  soldiers  to  clash  their  arms,  and  their  clamor 
drowned  the  martyr's  voice.  Thus  in  1529,  the  highest 
literary  and  ecclesiastical  authority  of  cultured  Paris  "set 
the  populace  of  1793  the  base  example  of  stifling  on  the 
scaffold  the  sacred  words  of  the  dying. ' ' ' 

Berquin  was  strangled,  and  his  body  was  consumed  in 
the  flames.  The  tidings  of  his  death  caused  sorrow  to  the 
friends   of   the  Reformation   throughout    France.      But   his 

'D'Aubigne,  "History  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Time  of  Calvin," 
b.  2,  ch.  16.  -  Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  9. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  219 

example  was  not  lost.  "We  too  are  ready,"  said  the  wit- 
nesses for  the  truth,  "to  meet  death  cheerfully,  setting  our 
eyes  on  the  life  that  is  to  come. "  * 

During  tlie  persecution  at  Meaux,  the  teachers  of  the 
reformed  faith  were  deprived  of  their  license  to  preach,  and 
they  departed  to  other  fields.  Lefevre  after  a  time  made 
his  way  to  Germany.  Farel  returned  to  his  native  town 
in  eastern  France,  to  spread  the  light  in  the  home  of  his 
childhood.  Already  tidings  had  been  received  of  what  was 
going  on  at  Meaux,  and  the  truth,  which  he  taught  with 
fearless  zeal,  found  listeners.  Soon  the  authorities  were 
roused  to  silence  him,  and  he  was  banished  from  the  city. 
Though  he  could  no  longer  labor  publicly,  he  traversed  the 
plains  and  villages,  teaching  in  private  dwellings  and  in 
secluded  meadows,  and  finding  shelter  in  the  forests  and 
among  the  rocky  caverns  which  had  been  his  haunts  in  boy- 
hood. God  was  preparing  him  for  greater  trials.  "The 
crosses,  persecutions,  and  machinations  of  Satan,  of  which 
I  was  forewarned,  have  not  been  wanting,"  he  said;  "they 
are  even  much  severer  than  I  could  have  borne  of  myself; 
but  God  is  my  Father;  He  has  provided  and  always  will 
provide  me  the  strength  which  I  require. ' '  ^ 

As  in  apostolic  days,  persecution  had  "fallen  out  rather 
unto  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel. ' '  ^  Driven  from  Paris 
and  Meaux,  "they  that  were  scattered  abroad  went  every- 
where preaching  the  word. ' '  *  And  thus  the  light  found  its 
way  into  many  of  the  remote  provinces  of  France. 

God  was  still  preparing  workers  to  extend  His  cause.  In 
one  of  the  schools  of  Paris  was  a  thoughtful,  quiet  youth, 
already  giving  evidence  of  a  powerful  and  penetrating  mind, 
and  no  less  marked  for  the  blamelessness  of  his  life  than  for 
intellectual  ardor  and  religious  devotion.  His  genius  and 
application  soon  made  him  the  pride  of  the  college,  and  it 
was  confidently  anticipated  that  John  Calvin  would  become 

'D'Aubigne,  "History  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Time  of  Calvin," 
b.  2,  ch.  16. 
'D'Aubigne,  b.  12,  ch.  9.  =•  Phil.  1:12.  •Acts  8:4. 


220  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

one  of  the  ablest  and  most  honored  defenders  of  the  church; 
But  a  ray  of  divine  light  penetrated  even  within  the  walls 
of  scholasticism  and  superstition  by  which  Calvin  was  in- 
closed. He  heard  of  the  new  doctrines  with  a  shudder, 
nothing  doubting  that  the  heretics  deserved  the  fire  to 
which  they  were  given.  Yet  all  unwittingly  he  Was  brought 
face  to  face  with  the  heresy,  and  forced  to  test  the  power 
of  Romish  theology  to  combat  the  Protestant  teaching. 

A  cousin  of  Calvin's,  who  had  joined  the  Reformers,  was 
in  Paris.  The  two  kinsmen  often  met,  and  discussed  to- 
gether the  matters  that  were  distur})ing  Christendom. 
'"There  are  but  two  religions  in  the  world,"  said  Olivetan, 
the  Protestant.  "The  one  class  of  religions  are  those  which 
men  have  invented,  in  all  of  which  man  saves  himself  by 
ceremonies  and  good  works;  the  other  is  that  one  religion 
which  is  revealed  in  the  Bible,  and  which  teaches  man  to 
look  for  salvation  solely  from  the  free  grace  of  God." 

"I  will  have  none  of  your  new  doctrines,"  exclaimed 
Calvin;  "think  you  that  I  have  lived  in  error  all  my 
days?"' 

But  thoughts  had  been  awakened  in  his  mind  which  he 
could  not  banish  at  will.  Alone  in  his  chamber  he  pon- 
dered upon  his  cousin's  words.  Conviction  of  sin  fastened 
upon  him;  he  saw  himself,  without  an  intercessor,  in  the 
presence  of  a  holy  and  just  Judge.  The  mediation  of  saints, 
good  works,  the  ceremonies  of  the  church,  all  were  power- 
less to  atone  for  sin.  He  could  see  before  him  nothing  but 
the  blackness  of  eternal  despair.  In  vain  the  doctors  of  the 
church  endeavored  to  relieve  his  woe.  Confession,  penance, 
were  resorted  to  in  vain;  they  could  not  reconcile  the  soul 
with  God. 

While  still  engaged  in  these  fruitless  struggles,  Calvin, 
chancing  one  day  to  visit  one  of  the  public  squares,  wit- 
nessed there  the  burning  of  a  heretic.  He  was  filled  with 
wonder  at  the  expression  of  peace  which  rested  upon  the 
martyr's  countenance.  Amid  the  tortures  of  that  dreadful 
death,   and  under   the   more   terrible   condemnation   of   the 

»Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  7. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  221 

church,  he  manifested  a  faith  and  courage  which  the  young 
student  painfully  contrasted  with  his  own  despair  and 
darkness,  while  living  in  strictest  obedience  to  the  church. 
Upon  the  Bible,  he  knew,  the  heretics  rested  their  faith.  He 
determined  to  study  it,  and  discover,  if  he  could,  the  secret 
of  their  joy. 

In  the  Bible  he  found  Christ.  "0  Father,"  he  cried, 
"His  sacrifice  has  appeased  Thy  wrath;  His  blood  has 
washed  away  my  impurities;  His  cross  has  borne  my  curse; 
His  death  has  atoned  for  me.  We  had  devised  for  ourselves 
many  useless  follies,  but  Thou  hast  placed  Thy  word  be- 
fore me  like  a  torch,  and  Thou  hast  touched  my  heart,  in 
order  that  I  may  hold  in  abomination  all  other  merits  save 
those  of  Jesus. ' '  * 

Calvin  had  been  educated  for  the  priesthood.  When 
only  twelve  years  of  age  he  had  been  appointed  to  the 
chaplaincy  of  a  small  church,  and  his  head  had  been  shorn 
by  the  bishop  in  accordance  with  the  canon  of  the  church. 
He  did  not  receive  consecration,  nor  did  he  fulfil  the  duties 
of  a  priest,  but  he  became  a  member  of  the  clergy,  holding 
the  title  of  his  office,  and  receiving  an  allowance  in  con- 
sideration thereof. 

Now,  feeling  that  he  could  never  become  a  priest,  he 
turned  for  a  time  to  the  study  of  law,  but  finally  abandoned 
this  purpose,  and  determined  to  devote  his  life  to  the  gospel. 
But  he  hesitated  to  become  a  public  teacher.  He  was  nat- 
urally timid,  and  was  burdened  with  a  sense  of  the  weighty 
responsibility  of  the  position,  and  he  desired  still  to  devote 
himself  to  study.  The  earnest  entreaties  of  his  friends,  how- 
ever, at  last  won  his  consent.  "Wonderful  it  is,"  he  said, 
"that  one  of  so  lowly  an  origin  should  be  exalted  to  so 
great  a  dimity."' 

Quietly  did  Calvin  enter  upon  his  work,  and  his  words 
were  as  the  dew  falling  to  refresh  the  earth.  He  had  left 
Paris,  and  was  now  in  a  provincial  town  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  princess  Margaret,  who,  loving  the  gospel,  ex- 
tended her  protection  to  its  disciples.     Calvin   was  still   a 

» Martyn,  Vol.  Ill,  ch.  13.  ""  Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  9. 


222  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

youth,  of  gentle,  unpretentious  bearing.  His  work  began 
with  the  people  at  their  homes.  Surrounded  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  household,  he  read  the  Bible,  and  opened  the 
truths  of  salvation.  •  Those  who  heard  the  message,  carried 
the  good  news  to  others,  and  soon  the  teacher  passed  beyond 
the  city  to  the  outlying  towns  and  hamlets.  To  both  the 
castle  and  the  cabin  he  found  entrance,  and  he  went  for- 
ward, laying  the  foundation  of  churches  that  were  to  yield 
fearless  witnesses  for  the  truth. 

A  few  months,  and  he  was  again  in  Paris.  There  was 
unwonted  agitation  in  the  circle  of  learned  men  and  schol- 
ars. The  study  of  the  ancient  languages  had  led  men  to 
the  Bible,  and  many  whose  hearts  were  untouched  by  its 
truths  were  eagerly  discussing  them,  and  even  giving  battle 
to  the  champions  of  Komanism.  Calvin,  though  an  able 
combatant  in  the  fields  of  theological  controversy,  had  a 
higher  mission  to  accomplish  than  that  of  these  noisy  school- 
men. The  minds  of  men  were  stirred,  and  now  was  the 
time  to  open  to  them  the  truth.  While  the  halls  of  the 
universities  were  filled  with  the  clamor  of  theological  dis- 
putation, Calvin  was  making  liis  way  from  house  to  house, 
opening  the  Bible  to  the  people,  and  speaking  to  them  of 
Christ  and  Ilim  crucified. 

In  God's  providence,  Paris  was  to  receive  another  invita- 
tion to  accept  the  gospel.  The  call  of  Lefevre  and  Farel 
had  been  rejected,  but  again  the  message  was  to  be  heard 
by  all  classes  in  that  great  capital.  The  king,  influenced 
by  political  considerations,  had  not  yet  fully  sided  with 
Rome  against  the  Reformation.  Margaret  still  clung  to 
the  hope  that  Protestantism  was  to  triumph  in  France.  She 
resolved  that  the  reformed  faith  should  be  preached  ijn 
Paris.  During  the  absence  of  the  king,  she  ordered  a 
Protestant  minister  to  preach  in  the  churches  of  the  city. 
This  being  forbidden  by  the  papal  dignitaries,  the  princess 
threw  open  the  palace.  An  apartment  was  fitted  up  as  a 
chapel,  and  it  was  announced  that  every  day,  at  a  specified 
hour,  a  sermon  would  be  preached,  and  the  people  of  every 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  223 

rank  and  station  were  invited  to  attend.  Crowds  flocked  to 
the  service.  Not  only  the  chapel,  but  the  ante-chambers  and 
halls  were  thronged.  Thousands  every  day  assembled, — 
nobles,  statesmen,  lawyers,  merchants,  and  artisans.  The 
king,  instead  of  forbidding  the  assemblies,  ordered  that  two 
of  the  churches  of  Paris  should  be  opened.  Never  before 
had  the  city  been  so  moved  ])y  the  word  of  God.  The  spirit 
of  life  from  heaven  seemed  to  be  breathed  upon  the  people. 
Temperance,  purity,  order,  and  industry  were  taking  the 
place  of  drunkenness,  licentiousness,  strife,  and  idleness. 

But  the  hierarchy  were  not  idle.  The  king  still  refused 
to  interfere  to  stop  the  preaching,  and  they  turned  to  the 
populace.  No  means  were  spared  to  excite  the  fears,  the 
prejudices,  and  the  fanaticism  of  the  ignorant  and  supersti- 
tious multitudes.  Yielding  blindly  to  her  false  teachers, 
Paris,  like  Jerusalem  of  old,  knew  not  the  time  of  her  visi- 
tation, nor  the  things  which  belonged  unto  her  peace.  For 
two  years  the  word  of  God  was  preached  in  the  capital ; 
but  while  there  were  many  who  accepted  the  gospel,  the 
majority  of  the  people  rejected  it.  Francis  had  made  a 
show  of  toleration,  merely  to  serve  his  own  purposes,  and 
the  papists  succeeded  in  regaining  the  ascendency.  Again 
the  churches  were  closed,  and  the  stake  was  set  up. 

Calvin  was  still  in  Paris,  preparing  himself  by  study, 
meditation,  and  prayer,  for  his  future  labors,  and  continu- 
ing to  spread  the  light.  At  last,  however,  suspicion  fast- 
ened upon  him.  The  authorities  determined  to  bring  him  to 
the  flames.  Regarding  himself  as  secure  in  his  seclusion, 
he  had  no  thought  of  danger,  when  friends  came  hurrying 
to  his  room  with  the  news  that  officers  were  on  their  way  to 
arrest  him.  At  the  instant  a  loud  knocking  was  heard 
at  the  outer  entrance.  There  was  not  a  moment  to  be 
lost.  Some  of  his  friends  detained  the  officers  at  the  door, 
while  others  assisted  the  Reformer  to  let  himself  down  from 
a  window,  and  he  rapidly  made  his  way  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  city.  Finding  shelter  in  the  cottage  of  a  laborer  who 
was  a  friend  to  the   reform,  he   disguised  himself  in  the 


224  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

garments  of  his  host,  and  shouldering  a  hoe,  started  on 
his  journey.  Traveling  southward,  he  again  found  refuge 
in  the  dominions  of  Margaret/ 

Here  for  a  few  months  he  remained,  safe  under  the  pro- 
tection of  powerful  friends,  and  engaged  as  before  in  study. 
But  his  heart  was  set  upon  the  evangelization  of  France, 
and  he  could  not  long  remain  inactive.  As  soon  as  the 
storm  had  somewhat  abated,  he  sought  a  new  field  of 
labor  in  Poitiers,  where  was  a  university,  and  where  already 
the  new  opinions  had  found  favor.  Persons  of  all  classes 
gladly  listened  to  the  gospel.  There  was  no  public  preach- 
ing, but  in  the  home  of  the  chief  magistrate,  in  his  own 
lodgings,  and  sometimes  in  a  public  garden,  Calvin  opened 
the  words  of  eternal  life  to  those  who  desired  to  listen. 
After  a  time,  as  the  number  of  hearers  increased,  it  was 
thought  safer  to  assemble  outside  the  city.  A  dave  in  the 
side  of  a  deep  and  narrow  gorge,  where  trees  and  over- 
hanging rocks  made  the  seclusion  still  more  complete,  was 
chosen  as  the  place  of  meeting.  Little  companies,  leaving 
the  city  by  different  routes,  found  their  way  hither.  In 
this  retired  spot  the  Bible  was  read  and  explained.  Here 
the  Lord's  supper  was  eele])rated  for  the  first  time  by  the 
Protestants  of  France.  From  this  little  church  several 
faithful  evangelists  were  sent  out. 

Once  more  Calvin  returned  to  Paris.  He  could  not  even 
yet  relinquish  the  hope  that  France  as  a  nation  would 
accept  the  Reformation.  But  he  found  almost  every  door 
of  labor  closed.  To  teach  the  gospel  was  to  take  the  direct 
road  to  the  stake,  and  he  at  last  determined  to  depart  to 
Germany.  Scarcely  had  he  left  France  when  a  storm  burst 
over  the.  Protestants,  that,  had  he  remained,  must  surely 
have  involved  him  in  the  general  ruin. 

The  French  Reformers,  eager  to  see  their  country  keep- 
ing pace  with  Germany  and  S^^^tzerland,  determined  to 
strike  a  bold  blow  against  the  superstitions  of  Rome,  that 
should  arouse  the  whole  nation.  Accordingly  placards  at- 
tacking the  mass  were  in  one  night  posted  all  over  France. 

'  See  D  'Aubigne,  ' '  History  of  the  Eef ormation  in  the  Time 
of  Calvin,"  b.  2,  ch.  30. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  225 

Instead  of  advancing  the  reform,  this  zealous  but  ill-judged 
movement  brought  ruin,  not  only  upon  its  propagators,  but 
upon  the  friends  of  the  reformed  faith  throughout  France. 
It  gave  the  Romanists  what  they  had  long  desired, —  a 
pretext  for  demanding  the  utter  destruction  of  the  heretics 
as  agitators  dangerous  to  the  stability  of  the  throne  and 
the  peace  of  the  nation. 

By  some  secret  hand  —  whether  of  indiscreet  friend  or 
wily  foe  was  never  known  —  one  of  the  placards  was  at- 
tached to  the  door  of  the  king's  private  chamber.  The 
monarch  was  filled  with  horror.  In  this  paper,  superstitions 
that  had  received  the  veneration  of  ages  were  attacked  with 
an  unsparing  hand.  And  the  unexampled  boldness  of  ob- 
truding these  plain  and  startling  utterances  into  the  royal 
presence,  aroused  the  wrath  of  the  king.  In  his  amaze- 
ment he  stood  for  a  little  time  trembling  and  speechless. 
Then  his  rage  found  utterance  in  the  terrible  words:  "Let 
all  be  seized  without  distinction  who  are  susjoected  of  Luther- 
esy.  I  will  exterminate  them  all."^  The  die  was  cast.  The 
king  had  determined  to  throw  himself  fully  on  the  side 
of  Rome. 

Measures  were  at  once  taken  for  the  arrest  of  every 
Lutheran  in  Paris.  A  poor  artisan,  an  adherent  of  the 
reformed  faith,  who  had  been  accustomed  to  summon  the 
believers  to  their  secret  assemblies,  was  seized,  and  with 
the  threat  of  instant  death  at  the  stake,  was  commanded  to 
conduct  the  papal  emissary  to  the  home  of  every  Protestant 
in  the  city.  He  shrunk  in  horror  from  the  base  proposal, 
but  at  last  fear  of  the  flames  prevailed,  and  he  consented 
to  become  the  betrayer  of  his  brethren.  Preceded  by  the 
host,  and  surrounded  by  a  train  of  priests,  incense-bearers, 
monks,  and  soldiers,  Morin,  the  royal  detective,  with  the 
traitor,  slowly  and  silently  passed  through  the  streets  of 
the  city.  The  demonstration  was  ostensibly  in  honor  of 
the  "holy  sacrament,"  an  act  of  expiation  for  the  insult 
put  upon  the  mass  by  the  protesters.  But  beneath  this 
pageant  a  deadly  purpose  was  concealed.     On  arriving  op- 

"  D  'Aubigne,  ' '  History  of  the  Eeformatiou  iu  the  Time  of  Calvin, ' ' 
b.  4,  cb.  lU. 

8— G-G 


226  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

posite  the  house  of  a  Lutheran,  the  betrayer  made  a  sign, 
but  no  word  was  uttered.  The  procession  halted,  the  house 
was  entered,  the  family  were  dragged  forth  and  chained, 
and  the  terrible  company  went  forward  in  search  of  fresh 
victims.  They  "spared  no  house,  great  or  small,  not  even 
the  colleges  of  the  University  of  Paris.  .  .  .  iMorin  made  all 
the  city  quake.  ...  It  was  a  reign  of  terror. ' '  ^ 

The  victims  were  put  to  death  with  cruel  torture,  it  being 
specially  ordered  that  the  fire  should  be  lowered,  in  order 
to  prolong  their  agony.  But  they  died  as  conquerors.  Their 
constancy  was  unshaken,  their  peace  unclouded.  Their  per- 
secutors, powerless  to  move  their  inflexible  firmness,  felt 
themselves  defeated.  "The  scaffolds  were  distributed  over 
all  the  quarters  of  Paris,  and  the  burnings  followed  on  suc- 
cessive days,  the  design  being  to  spread  the  terror  of  heresy 
by  spreading  the  executions.  The  advantage,  however,  in 
the  end,  remained  with  the  gospel.  All  Paris  was  enabled 
to  see  what  kind  of  men  the  new  opinions  could  produce. 
There  was  no  i)ulpit  like  the  martyr's  \n\e.  Tlie  serene  joy 
that  lighted  up  the  faces  of  these  men  as  they  passed  along 
...  to  the  place  of  execution,  their  heroism  as  they  stood 
amid  the  bitter  flames,  their  meek  forgiveness  of  injuries, 
transformed,  in  instances  not  a  few,  anger  into  pity,  and 
hate  into  love,  and  pleaded  with  resistless  eloquence  in 
behalf  of  the  gospel. ' '  ^ 

The  priests,  bent  upon  keeping  the  popular  fury  at  its 
height,  circulated  the  most  terrible  accusations  against  the 
Protestants.  They  were  charged  with  plotting  to  massacre 
the  Catholics,  to  overthrow  the  government,  and  to  murder 
the  king.  Not  a  shadow  of  evidence  could  be  produced  in 
support  of  the  allegations.  Yet  these  prophecies  of  evil  were 
to  have  a  fulfilment;  under  far  different  circumstances, 
however,  and  from  causes  of  an  opposite  character.  The 
cruelties  that  were  inflicted  upon  the  innocent  Protestants 
by  the  Catholics,  accumulated  in  a  weight  of  retribution, 
and  in  after-centuries  wrought  the  very  doom  they  had  pre- 
dicted to  be  impending,  upon  the  king,  his  government,  and 

*  D  'Aubigne,  '  *  History  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Time  of  Calvin, ' ' 
b.  4,  ch.  10.  ^  Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  20. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  227 

his  subjects;  but  it  was  brought  about  by  infidels,  and  by 
the  papists  themselves.  It  was  not  the  establishment,  but 
the  suppression,  of  Protestantism,  that,  three  hundred  years 
later,  was  to  bring  upon  France  these  dire  calamities. 

Suspicion,  distrust,  and  terror  now  pervaded  all  classes 
of  society.  Amid  the  general  alarm  it  was  seen  how  deep  a 
hold  the  Lutheran  teaching  had  gained  upon  the  minds  of 
men  who  stood  highest  for  education,  influence,  and  excel- 
lence of  character.  Positions  of  trust  and  honor  were  sud- 
denly found  vacant.  Artisans,  printers,  scholars,  professors 
in  the  universities,  authors,  and  even  courtiers,  disappeared. 
Hundreds  fled  from  Paris,  self-constituted  exiles  from  their 
native  land,  in  many  cases  thus  giving  the  first  intimation 
that  they  favored  the  reformed  faith.  The  papists  looked 
about  them  in  amazement  at  thought  of  the  unsuspected 
heretics  that  had  been  tolerated  among  them.  Their  rage 
spent  itself  upon  the  multitudes  of  humbler  victims  who 
were  within  their  power.  The  prisons  were  crowded,  and 
the  very  air  seemed  darkened  with  the  smoke  of  burning 
piles,  kindled  for  the  confessors  of  the  gospel. 

Francis  I.  had  gloried  in  being  a  leader  in  the  great 
movement  for  the  revival  of  learning  which  marked  the 
opening  of  the  sixteenth  century.  Pie  had  delighted  to 
gather  at  his  court  men  of  letters  from  every  country.  To 
his  love  of  learning  and  his  contempt  for  the  ignorance  and 
superstition  of  the  monks  was  due,  in  part  at  least,  the 
degree  of  toleration  that  had  been  granted  to  the  reform. 
But,  inspired  with  zeal  to  stamp  out  heresy,  this  patron  of 
learning  issued  an  edict  declaring  printing  abolished  all 
over  France!  Francis  I.  presents  one  among  the  many  ex- 
amples on  record  showing  that  intellectual  culture  is  not  a 
safeguard  against  religious  intolerance  and  persecution. 

France  by  a  solemn  and  public  ceremony  was  to  commit 
herself  fully  to  the  destruction  of  Protestantism.  The 
priests  demanded  that  the  affront  offered  to  high  Heaven  in 
the  condemnation  of  the  mass,  be  expiated  in  blood,  and 
that  the  king,  in  behalf  of  his  people,  publicly  give  his 
sanction  to  the  dreadful  work. 


228  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  21st  of  January,  1535,  was  fixed  upon  for  the  awful 
ceremonial.  The  superstitious  fears  and  bigoted  hatred  of 
the  whole  nation  had  been  roused,  Paris  was  thronged 
with  the  multitudes  that  from  all  the  surrounding  country- 
crowded  her  streets.  The  day  was  to  be  ushered  in  by  a 
vast  and  imposing  procession.  "The  houses  along  the  line 
of  march  were  hung  with  mourning  drapery,  and  altars 
rose  at  intervals."  Before  every  door  was  a  lighted  torch 
in  honor  of  the  "holy  sacrament."  Before  daybreak  the 
procession  formed,  at  the  palace  of  the  king.  "First  came 
the  banners  and  crosses  of  the  several  parishes;  next  ap- 
peared the  citizens,  walking  two  and  two,  and  bearing 
torches."  The  four  orders  of  friars  followed,  each  in  its 
ovv^n  peculiar  dress.  Then  came  a  vast  collection  of  famous 
relics.  Following  these  rode  lordly  ecclesiastics  in  their 
purple  and  scarlet  robes  and  jeweled  adornings,  a  gorgeous 
and  glittering  array. 

"The  host  was  carried  by  the  bishop  of  Paris  under 
a  magnificent  canopy,  .  .  .  supported  by  four  princes  of 
the  blood.  .  .  .  After  the  host  walked  the  king.  .  .  .  Francis 
I.  on  that  day  wore  no  crown,  nor  robe  of  state."  With 
"head  uncovered,  his  eyes  cast  on  the  ground,  and  in  his 
hand  a  lighted  taper,"  the  king  of  France  appeared  "in 
the  character  of  a  penitent."*  At  every  altar  he  bowed 
down  in  humiliation,  not  for  the  vices  that  defiled  his  soul, 
nor  the  innocent  blood  that  stained  his  hands,  but  for  the 
deadly  sin  of  his  subjects  who  had  dared  to  condemn  the 
mass.  Following  him  came  the  queen  and  the  dignitaries  of 
state,  also  walking  two  and  two,  each  with  a  lighted  torch. 

As  a  part  of  the  services  of  the  day,  the  monarch  him- 
self addressed  the  high  officials  of  the  kingdom  in  the  great 
hall  of  the  bishop's  palace.  "With  a  sorrowful  countenance 
he  appeared  before  them,  and  in  words  of  moving  eloquence 
bewailed  "the  crime,  the  blasphemy,  the  day  of  sorrow  and 
disgrace,"  that  had  come  upon  the  nation.  And  he  called 
upon  every  loyal  subject  to  aid  in  the  extirpation  of  the 
pestilent  heresy  that  threatened  France  with  ruin.   "As  true, 

»Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  21. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  229 

Messieurs,  as  I  am  your  king,"  he  said,  "if  I  knew  one  of 
my  own  limbs  spotted  or  infected  with  this  detestable  rotten- 
ness, I  would  give  it  you  to  cut  off.  .  .  .  And  further,  if  I 
saw  one  of  my  children  defiled  by  it,  I  would  not  spare 
him.  ...  I  would  deliver  him  up  myself,  and  would  sac- 
rifice him  to  God."  Tears  choked  his  utterance,  and  the 
whole  assembly  wept,  with  one  accord  exclaiming,  "We  will 
live  and  die  for  the  Catholic  religion !  " ' 

Terrible  had  become  the  darkness  of  the  nation  that  had 
rejected  the  light  of  truth.  "The  grace  that  bringeth  salva- 
tion" had  appeared;  but  France,  after  beholding  its  power 
and  holiness,  after  thousands  had  been  drawn  by  its  divine 
beauty,  after  cities  and  hamlets  had  been  illuminated  by  its 
radiance,  had  turned  away,  choosing  darkness  rather  than 
light.  They  had  put  from  them  the  heavenly  gift,  when  it 
was  offered  them.  They  had  called  evil  good,  and  good 
evil,  till  they  had  fallen  victims  to  their  wilful  self-deception. 
Now,  though  they  might  actually  believe  that  they  were  do- 
ing God  service  in  persecuting  His  people,  yet  their  sincerity 
did  not  render  them  guiltless.  The  light  that  would  have 
saved  them  from  deception,  from  staining  their  souls  with 
blood-guiltiness,  they  had  wilfully  rejected. 

A  solemn  oath  to  extirpate  heresy  was  taken  in  the  great 
cathedral  where,  nearly  three  centuries  later,  the  "Goddess 
of  Reason"  was  to  be  enthroned  by  a  nation  that  had  for- 
gotten the  living  God.  Again  the  procession  formed,  and 
the  representatives  of  France  set  out  to  begin  the  work 
which  they  had  sworn  to  do.  "At  short  distances  scaf- 
folds had  been  erected,  on  which  certain  Protestant  Chris- 
tians were  to  be  burned  alive,  and  it  was  arranged  that 
the  fagots  should  be  lighted  at  the  moment  the  king  ap- 
proached, and  that  the  procession  should  halt  to  witness 
the  execution."^  The  details  of  the  tortures  endured  by 
these  witnesses  for  Christ  are  too  harrowing  for  recital;  but 
there  was  no  wavering  on  the  part  of  "the  victims.  On 
being  urged  to  recant,  one  answered:  "I  only  believe  in 
what  the  prophets  and  the  apostles  formerly  preached,  and 

*D'Aubigiie,  "History  of  the  Eeformation  in  the  Time  of  Calvin," 
b.  4,  ch.  1?,.  '  Wylie,  b.   13,  ch.  21. 


230  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

what  all  the  company  of  saints  believed.  My  faith  has  a 
confidence  in  God  which  will  resist  all  the  powers  of  hell."' 

Again  and  again  the  procession  halted  at  the  places  of 
torture.  Upon  reaching  their  starting-point  at  the  royal 
palace,  the  crowd  dispersed,  and  the  king  and  the  prelates 
withdrew,  well  satisfied  with  the  daj'^'s  proceedings,  and 
congratulating  themselves  that  the  work  now  begun  would 
be  continued  to  the  complete  destruction  of  heresy. 

The  gospel  of  peace  which  France  had  rejected  was  to 
be  only  too  surely  rooted  out,  and  terrible  would  be  the 
results.  On  the  21st  of  January,  1793,  two  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  years  from  the  very  day  that  fully  committed 
France  to  the  persecution  of  the  Reformers,  another  pro- 
cession, with  a  far  different  purpose,  passed  through  the 
streets  of  Paris.  "Again  the  king  was  the  chief  figure; 
again  there  were  tumult  and  shouting;  again  there  was 
heard  the  cry  for  more  victims;  again  there  were  black 
scaffolds;  and  again  the  scenes  of  the  day  were  closed  by 
horrid  executions;  Louis  XVL,  struggling  hand  to  hand 
with  his  jailers  and  executioners,  was  dragged  forward  to 
the  block,  and  there  held  down  by  main  force  till  the  axe 
had  fallen,  and  his  dissevered  head  rolled  on  the  scaffold."* 
Nor  was  the  king  the  only  victim;  near  the  same  spot  two 
thousand  and  eight  hundred  human  beings  perished  by  the 
guillotine  during  the  bloody  days  of  the  Reign  of  Terror. 
'The  Reformation  had  presented  to  the  world  an  open 
Bible,  unsealing  the  precepts  of  the  law  of  God,  and  urging 
its  claims  upon  the  consciences  of  the  people.  Infinite 
Love  had  unfolded  to  men  the  statutes  and  principles  of 
heaven.  God  had  said,  "Keep  therefore  and  do  them;  for 
this  is  your  wisdom  and  your  understanding  in  the  sight 
of  the  nations,  which  shall  hear  all  these  statutes,  and 
say.  Surely  this  great  nation  is  a  wise  and  understanding 
people."'  When  France  rejected  the  gift  of  heaven,  she 
sowed  the  seeds  "^f  anarchy  and  ruin ;  and  the  inevitable 
outworking  of  cause  and  effect  resulted  in  the  Revolution 
and  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

*D'Aubigne.  "History  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Time  of  Calvin," 
b.  4,  ch.  12.  ^Wylie,  b.  13,  ch.  21.  'Deut.  4:6. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  231 

Long  before  the  persecution  excited  by  tlie  i)lacards,  the 
bold  and  ardent  Farel  had  been  forced  to  flee  from  the 
land  of  his  birth.  He  repaired  to  Switzerland,  and  by  his 
labors,  seconding  the  work  of  Zwingle,  he  helped  to  turn 
the  scale  in  favor  of  the  Reformation.  His  later  years  were 
to  be  spent  here,  yet  he  continued  to  exert  a  decided  in- 
fluence upon  the  reform  in  France.  During  the  flrst  years 
of  his  exile,  his  efforts  were  especially  directed  to  spreading 
the  gospel  in  his  native  country.  He  spent  considerable 
time  in  preaching  among  his  countrymen  near  the  frontier, 
where  with  tireless  vigilance  he  watched  the  conflict,  and 
aided  by  his  words  of  encouragement  and  counsel.  With 
the  assistance  of  other  exiles,  the  writings  of  the  German 
Reformers  were  translated  into  the  French  language,  and 
together  with  the  French  Bible,  were  printed  in  large  quan- 
tities. By  colporteurs,  these  works  were  sold  extensively  in 
France.  They  were  furnished  to  the  colporteurs  at  a  low 
price,  and  thus  the  profits  of  the  work  enabled  them  to 
continue  it. 

Farel  entered  upon  his  work  in  Switzerland  in  the 
humble  guise  of  a  schoolmaster.  Repairing  to  a  secluded 
parish,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  instruction  of  children. 
Besides  the  usual  branches  of  learning,  he  cautiously  intro- 
duced the  truths  of  the  Bible,  hoping  through  the  children 
to  reach  their  parents.  There  were  some  who  believed,  but 
the  priests  came  forward  to  stop  the  work,  and  the  super- 
stitious country  people  were  roused  to  oppose  it.  "That 
cannot  be  the  gospel  of  Christ,"  urged  the  priests,  "seeing 
the  preaching  of  it  does  not  bring  peace,  but  war. ' ' '  Ijike 
the  flrst  disciples,  when  joersecuted  in  one  city  he  fled  to 
another.  From  village  to  village,  from  city  to  city,  he  went, 
traveling  on  foot,  enduring  hunger,  cold,  and  weariness, 
and  everywhere  in  peril  of  his  life.  He  preached  in  the 
market-places,  in  the  churches,  sometimes  in  the  pulpits  of 
the  cathedrals.  Sometimes  he  found  the  church  empty  of 
hearers;  at  times  his  preaching  was  interrupted  by  shouts 
and  jeers;  again  he  was  pulled  violently  out  of  the  pulpit. 
More  than  once  he  was  set  upon  by  the  rabble,  and  beaten 
'WyUe,  b.  14,  ch.  3. 


232  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

almost  to  death.  Yet  he  pressed  forward.  Though  often 
repulsed,  with  unwearjang  persistence  he  returned  to  the 
attack;  and  one  after  another,  he  saw  towns  and  cities 
which  had  been  strongholds  of  popery,  opening  their  gates 
to  the  gospel.  The  little  parish  where  he  had  first  labored, 
soon  accepted  the  reformed  faith.  The  cities  of  Morat  and 
NeuehStel  also  renounced  the  Romish  rites,  and  removed  the 
idolatrous  images  from  their  churches. 

Farel  had  long  desired  to  plant  the  Protestant  standard 
in  Geneva.  If  this  city  could  be  won,  it  would  be  a  center 
for  the  Reformation  in  France,  in  Switzerland,  and  in  Italy. 
With  this  object  before  him,  he  had  continued  his  labors 
until  many  of  the  surrounding  to^\Tas  and  hamlets  had  been 
gained.  Then  with  a  single  companion  he  entered  Geneva. 
But  only  two  sermons  was  he  permitted  to  preach.  The 
priests,  having  vainly  endeavored  to  secure  his  condemna- 
tion by  the  civil  authorities,  summoned  him  before  an  eccle- 
siastical council,  to  which  they  came  with  arms  concealed 
under  their  robes,  determined  to  take  his  life.  Outside  the 
hall,  a  furious  mob,  with  clubs  and  swords,  was  gathered  to 
make  sure  of  his  death  if  he  should  succeed  in  escaping 
the  council.  The  presence  of  magistrates  and  an  armed 
force,  however,  saved  him.  Early  next  morning  he  was 
conducted,  with  his  companion,  across  the  lake  to  a  place  of 
safety.     Thus  ended  his  first  effort  to   evangelize   Geneva. 

For  the  next  trial  a  lowlier  instrument  was  chosen, —  a 
young  man,  so  humble  in  appearance  that  he  was  coldly 
treated  even  by  the  professed  friends  of  reform.  But  what 
could  such  a  one  do  where  Farel  had  been  rejected?  How 
could  one  of  little  courage  and  experience  withstand  the 
tempest  before  which  the  strongest  and  bravest  had  been 
forced  to  flee?  "Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  My 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord."*  "God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things 
of  the  world  to  confound  the  things  which  are  mighty." 
"Because  the  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men;  and  the 
weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than  men."' 

Froment  began  his  work  as  a  schoolmaster.  The  truths 
»Zeeh.  4:6.  *1  Cor.  1:27,  25. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  233 

which  he  taught  the  children  at  school,  they  repeated  at 
their  homes.  Soon  the  parents  came  to  hear  the  Bible 
explained,  until  the  schoolroom  was  filled  with  attentive 
listeners.  New  Testaments  and  tracts  were  freely  distrib- 
uted, and  they  reached  many  who  dared  not  come  openly 
to  listen  to  the  new  doctrines.  After  a  time  this  laborer 
also  was  forced  to  flee;  but  the  truths  he  taught  had  taken 
hold  upon  the  minds  of  the  people.  The  Reformation  had 
been  planted,  and  it  continued  to  strengthen  and  extend. 
The  preachers  returned,  and  through  their  labors  the  Prot- 
estant worship  was  finally  established  in  Geneva. 

The  city  had  already  declared  for  the  Reformation,  when 
Calvin,  after  various  wanderings  and  vicissitudes,  entered 
its  gates.  Returning  from  a  last  visit  to  his  birthplace,  he 
was  on  his  way  to  Basel,  when,  finding  the  direct  road  occu- 
pied by  the  armies  of  Charles  V.,  he  was  forced  to  take  the 
circuitous  route  by  Geneva. 

In  this  visit,  Farel  recognized  the  hand  of  God.  Though 
Geneva  had  accepted  the  reformed  faith,  yet  a  great  work 
remained  to  be  accomplished  here.  It  is  not  as  communi- 
ties but  as  individuals  that  men  are  converted  to  God; 
the  work  of  regeneration  must  be  wrought  in  the  heart 
and  conscience  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  by 
the  decrees  of  councils.  While  the  people  of  Geneva  had 
cast  off  the  authority  of  Rome,  they  were  not  so  ready  to 
renounce  the  vices  that  had  flourished  under  her  rule.  To 
establish  here  the  pure  principles  of  the  gospel,  and  to  pre- 
pare this  people  to  fill  worthily  the  position  to  which  Provi- 
dence seemed  calling  them,  was  no  light  task. 

Farel  was  confident  that  he  had  found  in  Calvin  one 
whom  he  could  unite  with  himself  in  this  work.  In  the 
name  of  God  he  solemnly  adjured  the  young  evangelist  to 
remain  and  labor  here.  Calvin  drew  back  in  alarm.  Timid 
and  peace-loving,  he  shrank  from  contact  \nth  the  bold, 
independent,  and  even  violent  spirit  of  the  Genevese.  The 
feebleness  of  his  health,  together  with  his  studious  habits, 
led  him  to  seek  retirement.  Believing  that  by  his  pen  he 
could  best  serve  the  cause  of  reform,  he  desired  to  find  a 


234  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

quiet  retreat  for  study,  and  there,  through  the  press,  instruct 
and  build  up  the  churches.  But  Farel's  solemn  admoni- 
tion came  to  him  as  a  call  from  heaven,  and  he  dared 
not  refuse.  It  seemed  to  him,  he  said,  "that  the  hand  of 
God  was  stretched  down  from  heaven,  that  it  lay  hold  of 
him,  and  fixed  him  irrevocably  to  the  place  he  was  so 
impatient  to  leave. ' '  ^ 

At  this  time  great  perils  surrounded  the  Protestant  cause. 
The  anathemas  of  the  pope  thundered  against  Geneva,  and 
mighty  nations  threatened  it  with  destruction.  How  was 
this  little  city  to  resist  the  powerful  hierarchy  that  had  so 
often  forced  kings  and  emperors  to  submission?  How  could 
it  stand  against  tlie  armies  of  the  world's  great  conquerors? 

Throughout  Christendom,  Protestantism  was  menaced  by 
formidable  foes.  The  first  triumphs  o£  the  Reformation 
past,  Kome  suinnioiu'd  now  forces,  hoping  to  accomplish  its 
destruction.  At  this  time,  the  order  of  the  Jesuits  M'as  cre- 
ated, the  most  cruel,  unscrupulous,  and  powerful  of  all  the 
champions  o£  popery.  Cut  off  from  earthly  ties  and  human 
interests,  dead  to  the  claims  of  natural  affection,  reason  and 
conscience  wholly  silenced,  they  knew  no  rule,  no  tie,  but 
that  of  their  order,  and  no  duty  but  to  extend  its  power.' 
The  gospel  of  Christ  had  enabled  its  adherents  to  meet 
danger  and  endure  suffering,  undismayed  by  cold,  hunger, 
toil,  and  poverty,  to  uphold  the  banner  of  truth  in  face  of 
the  rack,  the  dungeon,  and  the  stake.  To  combat  these 
forces,  Jesuitism  inspired  its  followers  with  a  fanaticism 
that  enabled  them  to  endure  like  dangers,  and  to  oppose 
to  the  power  of  truth  all  the  weapons  of  deception.  There 
was  no  crime  too  great  for  them  to  commit,  no  deception 
too  base  for  them  to  practise,  no  disguise  too  difficult  for 
them  to  assume.  Vowed  to  perpetual  poverty  and  humility, 
it  was  their  studied  aim  to  secure  wealth  and  power,  to  be 
devoted  to  the  overthrow  of  Protestantism,  and  the  re- 
establishment  of  the  papal  supremacy. 

^D'Aubigne,  "History  of  the  Eeformation  in  the  Time  of  Cahdn," 
b.  9,  ch.  17.  *See  Appendix. 


THE  FRENCH  REFORMATION  235 

When  appearing  as  members  of  their  order,  they  wor** 
a  garb  of  sanctity,  visiting  prisons  and  hospitals,  minister- 
ing to  the  sick  and  the  poor,  professing  to  have  renounced 
the  world,  and  bearing  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus,  who  went 
about  doing  good.  But  under  this  blameless  exterior  the 
most  criminal  and  deadly  purposes  were  often  concealed.  It 
was  a  fundamental  principle  of  the  order  that  the  end 
justifies  the  means.  By  this  code,  lying,  theft,  perjury,  as- 
sassination,  were  not  only  pardonable  but  commendable, 
when  they  served  the  interests  of  the  church.  Under  vari- 
ous disguises  the  Jesuits  worked  their  way  into  offices  of 
state,  climbing  up  to  be  the  counselors  of  kings,  and  shap- 
ing the  policy  of  nations.  They  became  servants,  to  act  as 
spies  upon  their  masters.  They  established  colleges  for  the 
sons  of  princes  and  nobles,  and  schools  for  the  common  peo- 
ple; and  the  children  of  Protestant  parents  were  drawn  into 
an  observance  of  popish  rites.  All  the  outward  pomp  and 
display  of  the  Romish  worship  was  brought  to  bear  to 
confuse  the  mind,  and  dazzle  and  captivate  the  imagina- 
tion; and  thus  the  liberty  for  which  the  fathers  had  toiled 
and  bled  was  betrayed  by  the  sons.  The  Jesuits  rapidly 
spread  themselves  over  Europe,  and  wherever  they  went, 
there  followed  a  revival  of  popery. 

To  give  them  greater  power,  a  bull  was  issued  re-estab- 
lishing the  Inquisition.^  Notwithstanding  the  general  abhor- 
rence with  which  it  was  regarded,  even  in  Catholic  countries, 
this  terrible  tribunal  was  again  set  up  by  popish  rulers,  and 
atrocities  too  terrible  to  bear  the  light  of  day  were  repeated 
in  its  secret  dungeons.  In  many  countries,  thousands  upon 
thousands  of  the  very  flower  of  the  nation,  the  purest  and 
noblest,  the  most  intellectual  and  highly  educated,  pious  and 
devoted  pastors,  industrious  and  patriotic  citizens,  brilliant 
scholars,  talented  artists,  skilful  artisans,  were  slain,  or 
forced  to  flee  to  other  lands. 

Such  were  the  means  which  Rome  had  invoked  to  quench 
the  light  of  the  Reformation,  to  withdraw  from  men  the 
Bible,  and  to  restore  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the 
*See  Appendix. 


236  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Dark  Ages.  But  under  God's  blessing  and  the  labors  of 
those  noble  men  whom  He  had  raised  up  to  succeed  Luther, 
Protestantism  was  not  overthrown.  Not  to  th^  favor  or  arms 
of  princes  was  it  to  owe  its  strength.  The  smallest  countries, 
the  humblest  and  least  powerful  nations,  became  its  strong- 
holds. It  was  little  Geneva  in  the  midst  of  mighty  foes 
plotting  her  destruction;  it  was  Holland  on  her  sand-banks 
by  the  northern  sea,  wrestling  against  the  tyranny  of  Spain, 
then  the  greatest  and  most  opulent  of  kingdoms;  it  was 
bleak,  sterile  Sweden,  that  gained  victories  for  the  Refor- 
mation. 

For  nearly  thirty  years,  Calvin  labored  at  Geneva;  first 
to  establish  there  a  church  adhering  to  the  morality  of  the 
Bible,  and  then  for  the  advancement  of  the  Reformation 
throughout  Europe.  His  course  as  a  public  leader  was  not 
faultless,  nor  were  his  doctrines  free  from  error.  But  he  was 
instrumental  in  promulgating  truths  that  were  of  special 
importance  in  his  time,  in  maintaining  the  principles  of 
Protestantism  against  the  fast-returning  tide  of  popery,  and 
in  promoting  in  the  reformed  churches  simplicity  and  purity 
of  life,  in  place  of  the  pride  a»d  corruption  fostered  under 
the  Romish  teaching. 

From  Geneva,  publications  and  teachers  went  out  to 
spread  the  reformed  doctrines.  To  this  point  the  persecuted 
of  all  lands  looked  for  instruction,  counsel,  and  encourage 
ment.  The  city  of  Calvin  became  a  refuge  for  the  hunted 
Reformers  of  all  "Western  Europe.  Fleeing  from  the  awful 
tempests  that  continued  for  centuries,  the  fugitives  came 
to  the  gates  of  Geneva.  Starving,  wounded,  bereft  of  home 
and  kindred,  they  were  warmly  welcomed  and  tenderly  cared 
for;  and  finding  a  home  here,  they  blessed  the  city  of  their 
adoption  by  their  skill,  their  learning,  and  their  piety. 
Many  who  sought  here  a  refuge  returned  to  their  own 
countries  to  resist  the  tyranny  of  Rome.  John  Knox,  the 
brave  Scotch  Reformer,  not  a  few  of  the  English  Puritans, 
the  Protestants  of  Holland  and  of  Spain,  and  the  Hugue- 
nots of  France,  carried  from  Geneva  the  torch  of  truth  to 
lighten  the  darkness  of  their  native  lands. 


THE  NETHERLANDS  AND  SGANDINA\7IA-13 

In  the  Netherlands  the  papal  tyranny  very  early  called 
forth  resolute  protest.  Seven  hundred  years  before  Luther's 
time,  the  Roman  pontiff  was  thus  fearlessly  impeached  by 
two  bishops,  who,  having  been  sent  on  an  embassy  to  Rome, 
had  learned  the  true  character  of  the  ' '  holy  see : ' '  God  ' '  has 
made  His  queen  and  spouse,  the  church,  a  noble  and  ever- 
lasting provision  for  her  family,  with  a  dowry  that  is  neither 
fading  nor  corruptible,  and  given  her  an  eternal  crown  and 
scepter;  ...  all  which  benefits  you  like  a  thief  intercept. 
You  set  up  yourself  in  the  temple  as  God ;  instead  of  pastor, 
you  are  become  a  wolf  to  the  sheep ;  .  .  .  you  would  make 
us  believe  you  are  a  supreme  ])ishop,  but  yoii  rather  behave 
like  a  tyrant.  .  .  .  Whereas  you  ought  to  be  a  servant  of 
servants,  as  you  call  yourself,  you  endeavor  to  become  a 
lord  of  lords.  .  .  .  You  bring  the  commands  of  God  into  con- 
tempt. .  .  .  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  builder  of  all  churches 
as  far  as  the  earth  extends.  .  .  .  The  city  of  our  God,  of 
which  we  are  the  citizens,  reaches  to  all  the  regions  of 
the  heavens;  and  it  is  greater  than  the  city,  by  the  holy 
prophets  named  Babylon,  which  pretends  to  be  divine,  wins 
herself  to  heaven,  and  ])rags  that  her  wisdom  is  immortal; 
and  finally,  though  without  reason,  that  she  never  did  err, 
nor  ever  can."* 

*  Brandt,  "History  of  the  Reformation  in  and  about  the  Low 
Countries,"  b.  1,  p.  6. 

(237) 


238  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Others  arose  from  century  to  century  to  echo  this  pro- 
test. And  those  early  teachers,  who,  traversing  different 
lands  and  known  by  various  names,  bore  the  character  of 
the  Vaudois  missionaries,  and  spread  everyAvhere  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  gospel,  penetrated  to  the  Netherlands.  Their 
doctrines  spread  rapidly.  The  Waldensian  Bible  they  trans- 
lated in  verse  into  the  Dutch  language.  They  declared 
"that  there  was  great  advantage  in  it;  no  jests,  no  fables, 
no  trifles,  no  deceits,  but  the  words  of  truth;  that  indeed 
there  was  here  and  there  a  hard  crust,  but  that  the  marrow 
and  sweetness  of  what  was  good  and  holy  might  be  easily 
discovered  in  it. "  *  Thus  wrote  the  friends  of  the  ancient 
faith,  in  the  twelfth  century. 

Now  began  the  Romish  persecutions;  but  in  the  midst  of 
fagots  and  torture  the  believers  continued  to  multiply, 
steadfastly  declaring  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  infallible 
authority  in  religion,  and  that  "no  man  should  be  coerced 
to  believe,  but  should  be  won  by  preaching. ' ' " 

The  teachings  of  Luther  found  a  congenial  soil  in  the 
Netherlands,  and  earnest  and  faithful  men  arose  to  preach 
the  gospel.  From  one  of  the  provinces  of  Holland  came 
Menno  Simons.  Educated  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  ordained 
to  the  priesthood,  he  was  wholly  ignorant  of  the  Bible,  and 
he  would  not  read  it,  for  fear  of  being  beguiled  into  heresy. 
When  a  doubt  concerning  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation 
forced  itself  upon  him,  he  regarded  it  as  a  temptation  from 
Satan,  and  by  prayer  and  confession  sought  to  free  himself 
from  it;  but  in  vain.  By  mingling  in  scenes  of  dissipation 
he  endeavored  to  silence  the  accusing  voice  of  conscience; 
but  without  avail.  After  a  time  he  was  led  to  the  study  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  this,  with  Luther's  writings,  caused 
him  to  accept  the  reformed  faith.  He  soon  after  witnessed 
in  a  neighboring  village  the  beheading  of  a  man  who  was 
put  to  death  for  having  been  rebaptized.  This  led  him  to 
study  the  Bible  in  regard  to  infant  baptism.  He  could  find 
no  evidence  for  it  in  the  Scriptures,  but  saw  that  repentance 
*  Brandt,  b.  1,  p.  14.  'Martyn,  Vol.  II,  p.  87. 


THE  NETHERLANDS  AND  SCANDINAVIA  239 

and  faith  are  everywhere  required  as  the  condition  of  re- 
ceiving baptism. 

]\Ienno  withdrew  from  the  Roman  Church,  and  devoted 
his  life  to  teaching  the  truths  which  he  had  received.  In 
both  Germany  and  the  Netherlands  a  class  of  fanatics  had 
risen,  advocating  absurd  and  seditious  doctrines,  outraging 
order  and  decency,  and  proceeding  to  violence  and  insur- 
rection. Menno  saw  the  horrible  results  to  which  these 
movements  would  inevitably  lead,  and  he  strenuously  op- 
posed the  erroneous  teachings  and  wild  schemes  of  the 
fanatics.  There  were  many,  however,  who  had  been  misled 
by  these  fanatics,  but  who  had  renounced  their  pernicious 
doctrines;  and  there  were  still  remaining  many  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Christians,  the  fruits  of  the  Waldensian 
teaching.  Among  these  classes  Menno  labored  with  great 
zeal  and  success. 

For  twenty-five  years  he  traveled,  with  his  wife  and 
children,  enduring  great  hardships  and  privations,  and  fre- 
quently in  peril  of  his  life.  He  traversed  the  Netherlands 
and  northern  Germany,  laboring  chiefly  among  the  humbler 
classes,  but  exerting  a  wide-spread  influence.  Naturally 
eloquent,  though  possessing  a  limited  education,  he  was  a 
man  of  unwavering  integrity,  of  humble  spirit  and  gentle 
manners,  and  of  sincere  and  earnest  piety,  exemplifying  in 
his  own  life  the  precepts  which  he  taught,  and  he  com- 
manded the  confidence  of  the  people.  His  followers  were 
scattered  and  oppressed.  They  suffered  greatly  from  being 
confounded  with  the  fanatical  Munsterites.  Yet  great  num- 
bers were  converted  under  his  labors. 

Nowhere  were  the  reformed  doctrines  more  generally 
received  than  in  the  Netherlands.  In  few  countries  did 
their  adherents  endure  more  terrible  persecution.  In  Ger- 
many Charles  V.  had  banned  the  Reformation,  and  he  would 
gladly  have  brought  all  its  adherents  to  the  stake;  but  the 
princes  stood  up  as  a  barrier  against  his  tyranny.  In  the 
Netherlands  his  power  was  greater,  and  persecuting  edicts 
followed  each  other  in  quick  succession.    To  read  the  Bible, 


240  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  hear  or  preach  it,  or  even  to  speak  coneernmg  it,  was  to 
incur  the  penalty  of  death  by  the  stake.  To  pray  to  God  in 
secret,  to  refrain  from  bowing  to  an  image,  or  to  sing  a 
psalm,  was  also  punishable  with  death.  Even  those  who 
should  abjure  their  errors,  were  condemned,  if  men,  to  die 
by  the  sword;  if  women,  to  be  buried  alive.  Thousands 
perished  under  the  reign  of  Charles  and  of  Philip  II. 

At  one  time  a  whole  family  was  brought  before  the  in- 
quisitors, charged  with  remaining  away  from  mass,  and 
worshiping  at  home.  On  his  examination  as  to  their  prac- 
tices in  secret,  the  youngest  son  answered,  *'We  fall  on  our 
knees,  and  pray  that  God  may  enlighten  our  minds  and 
pardon  our  sins;  we  pray  for  our  sovereign,  that  his  reign 
may  be  prosperous  and  his  life  happy;  we  pray  for  our 
magistrates,  that  God  may  preserve  them."*  Some  of  the 
judges  were  deeply  moved,  yet  the  father  and  one  of  his 
sons  were  condemned  to  the  stake. 

The  rage  of  the  persecutors  was  equaled  by  the  faith  of 
the  martyrs.  Not  only  men  ])ut  delicate  women  and  young 
maidens  displayed  unflinching  courage.  "Wives  would 
take  their  stand  by  their  husband's  stake,  and  while  he  was 
enduring  the  fire  they  would  whisper  words  of  solace,  or 
sing  psalms  to  cheer  him."  "Young  maidens  would  lie 
down  in  their  living  grave  as  if  they  were  entering  into 
their  chamber  of  nightly  sleep;  or  go  forth  to  the  scaffold 
and  the  fire,  dressed  in  their  best  apparel,  as  if  they  were 
going  to  their  marriage. ' '  * 

As  in  the  days  when  paganism  sought  to  destroy  the 
gospel,  the  blood  of  the  Christians  was  seed.'  Persecu- 
tion served  to  increase  the  number  of  witnesses  for  the 
truth.  Year  after  year  the  monarch,  stung  to  madness  by 
the  unconquerable  determination  of  the  people,  urged  on 
his  cruel  work;  but  in  vain.  Under  the  noble  William  of 
Orange,  the  Revolution  at  last  brought  to  Holland  freedom 
to  worship  God. 

In  the  mountains  of  Piedmont,  on  the  plains  of  France 
and  the  shores  of  Holland,  the  progress  of  the  gospel  was 

*  Wylie,  b.  18,  ch.  6,  *  See  TertuUian  's  ' '  Apology, ' '  par.  50. 


THE  NETHERLANDS  AND  SCANDINAVIA  241 

marked  with  the  blood  of  its  disciples.  But  in  the  countries 
of  the  North  it  found  a  peaceful  entrance.  Students  at 
Wittenberg,  returning  to  their  homes,  carried  the  reformed 
faith  to  Scandinavia.  The  publication  of  Luther's  writings 
also  spread  the  light.  The  simple,  hardy  people  of  the 
North  turned  from  the  corruption,  the  pomp,  and  the  super- 
stitions of  Rome,  to  welcome  the  purity,  the  simplicity,  and 
the  life-giving  truths  of  the  Bible. 

Tausen,  "the  Reformer  of  Denmark,"  was  a  peasant's 
son.  The  boy  early  gave  evidence  of  vigorous  intellect;  he 
thirsted  for  an  education;  but  this  was  denied  him  by  the 
circumstances  of  his  parents,  and  he  entered  a  cloister. 
Here  the  purity  of  his  life,  together  with  his  diligence  and 
fidelity,  won  the  favor  of  his  superior.  Examination  showed 
him  to  possess  talent  that  promised  at  some  future  day  good 
service  to  the  church.  It  was  determined  to  give  him  an 
education  at  some  one  of  the  universities  of  Germany  or  the 
Netherlands.  The  young  student  was  granted  permission  to 
choose  a  school  for  himself,  with  one  proviso,  that  he  must 
not  go  to  Wittenberg.  The  scholar  of  the  chul-ch  was  not 
to  be  endangered  by  the  poison  of  heresy.    So  said  the  friars. 

Tausen  went  to  Cologne,  which  was  then,  as  now,  one  oi 
the  strongholds  of  Romanism.  Here  he  soon  became  dis- 
gusted with  the  mysticisms  of  the  schoolmen.  About  the 
same  time  he  obtained  Luther's  writings.  He  read  them 
with  wonder  and  delight,  and  greatly  desired  to  enjoy  the 
personal  instruction  of  the  Reformer.  But  to  do  so  he  must 
risk  giving  offense  to  his  monastic  superior,  and  forfeiting 
his  support.  His  decision  was  soon  made,  and  erelong  he 
was  enrolled  as  a  student  at  Wittenberg. 

On  returning  to  Denmark,  he  again  repaired  to  his  clois- 
ter. No  one  as  yet  suspected  him  of  Lutheranism;  he  did 
not  reveal  his  secret,  but  endeavored,  without  exciting  the 
prejudices  of  his  companions,  to  lead  them  to  a  purer  faith 
and  a  holier  life.  He  opened  the  Bible,  and  explained  its 
true  meaning,  and  at  last  preached  Christ  to  them  as  the 
sinner's    righteousness    and    his    only    hope    of    salvation. 


242  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Great  was  the  wrath  of  the  prior,  who  had  built  high  hopes 
upon  him  as  a  valiant  defender  of  Rome.  He  was  at  once 
removed  from  his  OAvn  monastery  to  another,  and  confined 
to  his  cell,  under  strict  supervision. 

To  the  terror  of  his  new  guardians,  several  of  the  monks 
soon  declared  themselves  converts  to  Protestantism.  Through 
the  bars  of  his  cell,  Tausen  had  communicated  to  his  com- 
panions a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Had  those  Danish 
fathers  been  skilled  in  the  church's  plan  of  dealing  with 
heresy,  Tausen 's  voice  would  never  again  have  been  heard; 
but  instead  of  consigning  him  to  a  tomb  in  some  under- 
ground dungeon,  they  expelled  him  from  the  monastery. 
Now  they  were  powerless.  A  royal  edict,  just  issued,  offered 
protection  to  the  teachers  of  the  new  doctrine.  Tausen 
began  to  preach.  The  churches  were  opened  to  him,  and 
the  people  thronged  to  listen.  Others  also  were  preaching 
the  word  of  God.  The  New  Testament,  translated  into  the 
Danish  tongue,  was  widely  circulated.  The  efforts  made 
by  the  papists  to  overthrow  the  work  resulted  in  extending 
it,  and  erelong  Denmark  declared  its  acceptance  of  the 
reformed  faith. 

In  Sweden,  also,  young  men  who  had  drunk  from  the 
well  of  "Wittenberg  carried  the  water  of  life  to  their  coun- 
trymen. Two  of  the  leaders  in  the  Swedish  Reformation, 
Olaf  and  Laurentius  Petri,  the  sons  of  a  blacksmith  of 
Orebro,  studied  under  Luther  and  Melanchthon,  and  the 
truths  which  they  thus  learned  they  were  diligent  to  teach. 
Like  the  great  Reformer,  Olaf  aroused  the  people  by  his 
zeal  and  eloquence,  while  Laurentius,  like  Melanchthon,  was 
learned,  thoughtful,  and  calm.  Both  were  men  of  ardent 
piety,  of  high  theological  attainments,  and  of  unflinching 
courage  in  advancing  the  truth.  Papist  opposition  was  not 
lacking.  The  Catholic  priests  stirred  up  the  ignorant  and 
superstitious  people.  Olaf  Petri  was  often  assailed  by  the 
mob,  and  upon  several  occasions  barely  escaped  with  his 
life.  These  Reformers  were,  however,  favored  and  pro- 
tected by  the  king. 


THE  NETHERLANDS  AND  SCANDINAVIA  243 

Under  the  rule  of  the  Roman  Church,  the  people  were 
sunken  in  poverty,  and  ground  down  by  oppression.  They 
were  destitute  of  the  Scriptures;  and  having  a  religion  of 
mere  signs  and  ceremonies,  which  .conveyed  no  light  to  the 
mind,  they  were  returning  to  the  superstitious  beliefs  and 
pagan  practices  of  their  heathen  ancestors.  The  nation  was 
divided  into  contending  factions,  whose  perpetual  strife  in- 
creased tlie  misery  of  all.  The  king  determined  upon  a 
reformation  in  the  state  and  the  church,  and  he  welcomed 
these  able  assistants  in  the  battle  against  Rome. 

In  the  presence  of  the  monarch  and  the  leading  men 
of  Sweden,  Olaf  Petri  with  great  ability  defended  the 
doctrines  of  the  reformed  faith  against  the  Romish  cham- 
pions. He  declared  that  the  teachings  of  the  Fathers  are 
to  be  received  only  when  in  accordance  with  the  Scrii)tures; 
that  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  faith  are  presented  in  the 
Bible  in  a  clear  and  simple  manner,  so  that  all  men  may 
understand  them.  Christ  said,  "My  doctrine  is  not  Mine, 
but  His  that  sent  Me;"'  and  Paul  declared  that  should  he 
preach  any  other  gospel  than  that  which  he  had  received, 
he  would  be  accursed."  "Plow,  then,"  said  the  Reformer, 
"shall  others  presume  to  enact  dogmas  at  their  pleasure,  and 
impose  them  as  things  necessary  to  salvation V"  He  showed 
that  the  decrees  of  the  church  are  of  no  authority  when 
in  opposition  to  the  commands  of  God,  and  maintained 
the  great  Protestant  principle,  that  "the  Bible  and  the 
Bible  only,"  is  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

Tills  contest,  though  conducted  upon  a  stage  compara- 
tively obscure,  serves  to  show  us  "the  sort  of  men  that 
formed  the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  of  the  Reformers. 
They  were  not  illiterate,  sectarian,  noisy  controversialists 
—  far  from  it ;  they  were  men  wlio  had  studied  the  word 
of  God,  and  knew  well  how  to  wield  the  weapons  with  which 
the  armory  of  the  Bible  supplied  them.  In  respect  of  erudi- 
tion they  were  ahead  of  their  age.  When  we  confine  our 
attention  to  such  brilliant  centers  as  Wittenberg  and  Zurich, 

»Jobn  7:16.  » Gal.  1:8.  »Wylie,  b.  10,  cb.  4. 


244  THf:   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

and  to  such  illustrious  names  as  those  of  Luther  and  Me- 
lanchthon,  of  Zwdngle  and  (Ecolampadius,  we  are  apt  to 
be  told,  these  were  the  leaders  of  the  movement,  and  we 
should  naturally  expect  in  them  prodigious  power  and  vast 
acquisitions;  but  the  subordinates  were  not  like  these.  "Well, 
we  turn  to  the  obscure  theater  of  Sweden,  and  the  humble 
names  of  Olaf  and  Laurentius  Petri  —  from  the  masters  to 
the  disciples  —  what  do  we  find?  .  .  .  Scholars  and  theolo- 
gians; men  who  have  thoroughly  mastered  the  whole  system 
of  gospel  truth,  and  who  win  an  easy  victory  over  the  soph- 
ists of  tlie  schools  and  the  dignitaries  of  Rome. ' '  * 

As  the  result  of  this  disputation,  the  king  of  Sweden 
accepted  the  Protestant  faith,  and  not  long  afterward  the 
national  assembly  declared  in  its  favor.  The  New  Testa- 
ment had  been  translated  by  Olaf  Petri  into  the  Swedish 
language,  and  at  the  desire  of  the  king  the  two  brothers 
undertook  the  translation  of  the  whole  Bible.  Thus  for  the 
first  time  the  people  of  Sweden  received  the  word  of  God 
in  their  native  tongue.  It  was  ordered  by  the  Diet  that 
throughout  the  kingdom,  ministers  should  explain  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  that  the  children  in  the  schools  should  be  taught 
to  read  the  Bible. 

Steadily  and  surely  the  darkness  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition was  dispelled  by  the  blessed  light  of  the  gospel. 
Freed  from  Romish  oppression,  the  nation  attained  to  a 
strength  and  greatness  it  had  never  before  reached.  Sweden 
became  one  of  the  bulwarks  of  Protestantism.  A  century 
later,  at  a  time  of  sorest  peril,  this  small  and  hitherto  feeble 
nation  —  the  only  one  in  Europe  that  dared  lend  a  help- 
ing hand  —  came  to  the  deliverance  of  Germany  in  the 
terrible  struggles  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.  All  Northern 
Europe  seemed  about  to  be  brought  again  under  the  tyr- 
anny of  Rome.  It  Avas  the  armies  of  Sweden  that  enabled 
Germany  to  turn  the  tide  of  popish  success,  to  win  toleration 
for  the  Protestants, —  Calvinists  as  well  as  Lutherans, — 
and  to  restore  liberty  of  conscience  to  those  countries  that 
had  accepted  the  Reformation. 

^Wylie,  b.  10,  ch.  4. 


LATER  ENGLISH    REFORMERS-14 

While  Luther  was  opening  a  closed  Bible  to  the  people 
of  Germany,  Tyndale  was  impelled  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
do  the  same  for  England.  Wycliffe's  Bible  had  been  trans- 
lated from  the  Latin  text,  which  contained  many  errors.  It 
had  never  been  printed,  and  the  cost  of  manuscript  copies 
was  so  great  that  few  but  wealthy  men  or  nobles  could  pro- 
cure it;  and  furthermore,  being  strictly  proscribed  by  the 
church,  it  had  had  a  comparatively  narrow  circulation.  In 
1516,  a  year  before  the  appearance  of  Luther's  theses, 
Erasmus  had  published  his  Greek  and  Latin  version  of  the 
New  Testament.  Now  for  the  first  time  the  word  of  God 
was  printed  in  the  original  tongue.  In  this  work  many 
errors  of  former  versions  were  corrected,  and  the  sense  was 
more  clearly  rendered.  It  led  many  among  the  educated 
classes  to  a  better  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  gave  a  new 
impetus  to  the  work  of  reform.  But  the  common  people 
were  still,  to  a  great  extent,  debarred  from  God's  word. 
Tyndale  was  to  complete  the  work  of  Wycliffe  in  giving  the 
Bible  to  his  countrymen. 

A  diligent  student  and  an  earnest  seeker  for  truth,  he 
had  received  the  gospel  from  the  Greek  Testament  of  Eras- 
mus. He  fearlessly  preached  his  convictions,  urging  that 
all  doctrines  be  tested  by  the  Scriptures.  To  the  papist 
claim  that  the  church  had  given  the  Bible,  and  the  church 
alone  could  explain  it,  Tyndale  responded:  "Do  you  know 

(245) 


246  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

who  taught  the  eagles  to  find  their  prey?  Well,  that  same 
God  teaehes  His  hungry  children  to  find  their  Father  in 
His  word.  Far  from  having  given  us  the  Scriptures,  it  is 
you  who  have  hidden  them  from  us;  it  is  you  who  burn 
those  who  teach  them,  and  if  you  could,  you  would  burn 
the  Scriptures  themselves.'" 

Tyndale's  preaching  excited  great  interest;  many  ac- 
cepted the  truth.  But  the  priests  were  on  the  alert,  and 
no  sooner  had  he  left  the  field  than  they  by  their  threats  and 
misrepresentations  endeavored  to  destroy  his  work.  Too 
often  they  succeeded.  "What  is  to  be  done?"  he  exclaimed. 
"While  I  am  sowing  in  one  place,  the  enemy  ravages  the 
field  I  have  just  left.  I  cannot  be  everywhere.  Oh!  if 
Christians  possessed  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  their  own  tongue, 
they  could  of  themselves  withstand  these  sophists.  Without 
the  Bible  it  is  impossible  to  establish  the  laity  in  the  truth. ' ' ' 

A  new  purpose  now  took  possession  of  his  mind.  "It 
was  in  the  language  of  Israel,"  said  he,  "that  the  psalms 
were  sung  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah;  and  shall  not  the  gos- 
pel speak  the  language  of  England  among  us?  .  .  .  Ought 
the  church  to  have  less  light  at  noonday  than  at  the  dawn? 
.  .  .  Christians  must  read  the  New  Testament  in  tneir 
mother- tongue."  The  doctors  and  teachers  of  the  church 
disagreed  ainong  themselves.  Only  by  the  Bible  could  men 
arrive  at  the  truth.  "One  holdeth  this  doctor,  another 
that.  .  .  .  Now  each  of  these  authors  contradicts  the  other. 
How  then  can  we  distinguish  him  who  says  right  from  him 
who  says  wrong?  .  .  .  How?  .  .  .  Verily  by  God's  word."' 

It  was  not  long  after  that  a  learned  Catholic  doctor, 
engaging  in  controversy  with  him,  exclaimed,  "We  were  bet- 
ter to  be  without  God's  laws  than  the  pope's."  Tyndale  re- 
plied, "I  defy  the  pope  and  all  his  laws;  and  if  God  spare 
my  life,  ere  many  years  I  will  cause  a  boy  that  driveth  the 
plow^  to  knoAv  more  of  the  Scripture  than  you  do.  "^ 

The  purpose  which  he  had  begun  to  cherish,  of  giving 
to  the  people  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  in  their  own 

»D'Aubigne,  b.  18,  ch.  4. 
"Anderson,  "Annals  of  the  EngUsh  Bible,"  p.  19  (rev.  ed.  1862). 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  247 

language,  was  now  confirmed,  and  he  immediately  applied 
himself  to  the  work.  Driven  from  his  home  by  persecu- 
tion, he  went  to  London,  and  there  for  a  time  pursued  his 
labors  undisturbed.  But  again  the  violence  of  the  papists 
forced  him  to  flee.  All  England  seemed  closed  against  him, 
and  lie  resolved  to  seek  shelter  in  Germany.  Here  he  began 
the  printing  of  the  English  New  Testament.  Twice  the 
work  was  stopped;  but  when  forbidden  to  print  in  one  city, 
he  went  to  another.  At  last  he  made  his  way  to  Worms, 
where,  a  few  years  before,  Luther  had  defended  the  gospel 
before  the  Diet.  In  that  ancient  city  were  many  friends 
of  the  Reformation,  and  Tyndale  there  prosecuted  his  Avork 
without  further  hindrance.  Three  thousand  copies  of  the 
New  Testament  were  soon  finished,  and  another  edition 
followed  in  the  same  year. 

With  great  earnestness  and  perseverance  he  continued 
his  labors.  Notwithstanding  the  English  authorities  had 
guarded  their  ports  with  the  strictest  vigilance,  the  word 
of  God  was  in  various  ways  secretly  conveyed  to  London, 
and  thence  circulated  throughout  the  country.  The  papists 
attempted  to  suppress  the  truth,  but  in  vain.  The  bishop 
of  Durham  at  one  time  bought  of  a  bookseller  who  was  a 
friend  of  Tyndale,  his  whole  stock  of  Bibles,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  destroying  them,  supposing  that  this  would  greatly 
hinder  the  work.  But  on  the  contrary,  the  money  thus 
furnished,  purchased  material  for  a  new  and  better  edition, 
which,  but  for  this,  could  not  have  been  published.  When 
Tyndale  was  afterward  made  a  prisoner,  his  liberty  was 
offered  him  on  condition  that  he  would  reveal  the  names 
of  those  who  had  helped  him  meet  the  expense  of  printing 
his  Bibles.  He  replied  that  the  bishop  of  Durham  had  done 
more  than  any  other  person;  for  by  paying  a  large  price 
for  the  books  left  on  hand,  he  had  enabled  him  to  go  on 
with  good  courage. 

Tyndale  was  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  and 
at  one  time  suffered  imprisonment  for  many  months.  He 
finally  witnessed  for  his  faith  by  a  martyr's  death;  but 
the  weapons  which  ]ie  jjrepared  have  enabled  other  soldiers 


248  THU  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  do  battle  through  all  the  centuries   even   to  our  time. 

Latimer  maintained  from  the  pulpit  that  the  Bible  ought 
to  be  read  in  the  language  of  the  people.  The  Author  of 
Holy  Scripture,  said  he,  "is  God  Himself;"  and  this  Scrip- 
ture partakes  of  the  might  and  eternity  of  its  Author. 
"There  is  no  king,  emperor,  magistrate,  and  ruler  .  ,  ., 
but  are  bound  to  obey  .  .  .  His  holy  word."  "Let  us 
not  take  any  by-walks,  but  let  God*s  word  direct  us:  let 
us  not  walk  after  .  .  .  our  forefathers,  nor  seek  not  what 
they   did,  but  what  they  should  have  done. ' ' ' 

Barnes  and  Frith,  the  faithful  friends  of  Tyndale,  arose 
to  defend  the  truth.  The  Ridleys  and  Cranmer  followed. 
These  leaders  in  the  English  Reformation  were  men  of 
learning,  and  most  of  them  had  been  highly  esteemed  for 
zeal  or  piety  in  the  Romish  communion.  Their  o])position  to 
the  papacy  was  the  result  of  their  knowledge  of  the  errors  of 
the  "holy  see."  Their  acquaintance  with  the  mysteries  of 
Babylon,  gave  grtater  power  to  their  testimonies  against  her. 

"Now  I  would  ask  a  strange  question,"  said  Latimer. 
"Who  is  the  most  diligent  bishop  and  prelate  in  all  Eng- 
land? ...  I  see  you  listening  and  hearkening  that  I  should 
name  him.  ...  I  will  tell  you :  it  is  the  devil.  .  .  .  He  is 
never  out  of  his  diocese;  .  .  .  call  for  him  when  you  will, 
he  is  ever  at  home;  ...  he  is  ever  at  his  plow.  ...  Ye 
shall  never  find  him  idle,  I  warrant  you.  .  .  .  Where  the 
devil  is  resident,  .  .  .  there  away  with  books,  and  up  with 
candles:  away  with  Bibles,  and  up  with  beads;  away  with 
the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  up  with  the  light  of  candles, 
yea,  at  noondays;  .  .  .  down  with  Christ's  cross,  up  with 
purgatory  pick-purse ;  c  .  .  away  with  clothing  the  naked, 
the  poor,  and  impotent,  up  with  decking  of  images  and  gay 
garnisliing  of  stocks  and  stones;  up  with  man's  traditions 
and  his  laws,  down  Avith  God's  traditions  and  His  most 
holy  word.  ...  0  that  our  prelates  would  be  as  diligent 
to  sow  the  corn  of  good  doctrine,  as  Satan  is  to  sow  cockle 
and  darnel ! "  ^ 

-  Latimer,  ' '  First  Sermon  Preached  before  King  Edward  VI. ' ' 
(ed,  Parker  Society).  *  Latimer,  "Sermon  of  the  Plough." 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  249 

The  grand  principle  maintained  by  these  Reformers  — 
the  same  that  had  been  held  by  the  Waldenses,  by  Wycliffe, 
by  John  Huss,  by  Luther,  Zwingle,  and  those  who  united 
with  them — ^was  the  infallible  authority  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  They  denied  the 
right  of  popes,  councils,  Fathers,  and  kings,  to  control  the 
conscience  in  matters  of  religion.  The  Bible  was  their 
authority,  and  by  its  teaching  they  tested  all  doctrines  and 
all  claims.  Faith  in  God  and  His  word  sustained  these 
holy  men  as  they  yielded  up  their  lives  at  the  stake.  "Be 
of  good  comfort,"  exclaimed  Latimer  to  his  fellow-martyr 
as  the  flames  were  about  to  silence  their  voices,  "we  shall 
this  day  light  such  a  candle,  by  God's  grace,  in  England, 
as  I  trust  shall  never  be  put  out. ' '  ^ 

In  Scotland  the  seeds  of  truth  scattered  by  Columba 
and  his  co-laborers  had  never  been  wholly  destroyed.  For 
hundreds  of  years  after  the  churches  of  England  submitted 
to  Rome,  those  of  Scotland  maintained  their  freedom.  In 
the  twelfth  century,  however,  popery  became  established 
here,  and  in  no  country  did  it  exercise  a  more  absolute 
sway.  Nowhere  was  the  darkness  deeper.  Still  there  came 
rays  of  light  to  pierce  the  gloom,  and  give  promise  of  the 
coming  day.  The  Lollards,  coming  from  England  with  the 
Bible  and  the  teachings  of  Wycliffe,  did  much  to  preserve 
the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and  every  century  had  its 
witnesses  and  martyrs. 

With  the  opening  of  the  Great  Reformation  came  the 
writings  of  Luther,  and  then  Tyndale's  English  New  Testa- 
ment. Unnoticed  by  the  hierarchy,  these  messengers  si- 
lently traversed  the  mountains  and  valleys,  kindling  into 
new  life  the  torch  of  truth  so  nearly  extinguished  in  Scot- 
land, and  undoing  the  work  which  Rome  for  four  centuries 
of  oppression  had  done. 

Then  the  blood  of  martyrs  gave  fresh  impetus  to  the 
movement.  The  papist  leaders,  suddenly  awakening  to  the 
danger  that   threatened  their   cause,   brought   to   the   stake 

*" Works  of  Hugh  Latimer,"  Vol.  I,  p,  xiii  (ed.  Parker  Society). 


250  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

some  of  the  noblest  and  most  honored  of  the  sons  of  Scot- 
land. They  did  but  erect  a  pulpit,  from  which  the  words 
of  these  dying  witnesses  were  heard  throughout  the  land, 
thrilling  the  souls  of  the  people  with  an  undying  purpose 
to  cast  off  the  shackles  of  Rome. 

Hamilton  and  Wishart,  princely  in  character  as  in 
birth,  with  a  long  line  of  humbler  disciples,  yielded  up 
their  lives  at  the  stake.  But  from  the  burning  pile  of 
Wishart  there  came  one  whom  the  flames  were  not  to 
silence,  one  who  under  God  was  to  strike  the  death-knell 
of  popery  in  Scotland. 

John  Knox  had  turned  away  from  the  traditions  and 
mysticisms  of  the  church,  to  feed  upon  the  truths  of  God's 
word;  and  the  teaching  of  Wishart  had  confirmed  his  de- 
termination to  forsake  the  communion  of  Rome,  and  join 
himself  to  the  persecuted  Reformers. 

Urged  by  his  companions  to  take  the  office  of  preacher, 
he  shrunk  with  trem])ling  from  its  responsibility,  and  it  was 
only  after  days  of  seclusion  and  painful  conflict  with  him- 
self that  he  consented,  l^iit  having  once  accepted  the  posi- 
tion, he  pressed  forward  with  inflexible  determination  and 
undaunted  courage  as  long  as  life  continued.  This  true- 
hearted  Reformer,  feared  not  the  face  of  man.  The  fires  of 
martyrdom,  blazing  around  him,  served  only  to  quicken  his 
zeal  to  greater  intensity.  With  the  tyrant's  axe  held  men- 
acingly over  his  head,  he  stood  his  ground,  striking  sturdy 
blows  on  tlie  right  liand  and  on  the  left  to  demolish  idolatry. 

Wlien  brought  face  to  face  with  the  queen  of  Scotland, 
in  whose  presence  the  zeal  of  many  a  leader  of  the  Prot- 
estants had  abated,  John  Knox  bore  unswerving  witness  for 
the  truth.  He  was  not  to  l)e  won'  by  caresses;  he  quailed 
not  before  threats.  The  queen  charged  him  with  heresy. 
He  had  taught  the  people  to  receive  a  religion  prohibited 
by  the  state,  she  declared,  and  had  thus  transgressed  God's 
command  enjoining  subjects  to  obey  their  princes.  Knox 
answered  firmly : 

"As  right  religion  took  neither  original  strength  nor 
authority  from  worldly  princes,  but  from  the  eternal  God 


LATER   ENGLISH  REFORMERS  251 

alone,  so  are  not  subjects  bound  to  frame  their  religion 
according  to  the  appetites  of  their  princes.  For  oft  it  is 
that  princes  are  the  most  ignorant  of  all  others  in  God's 
true  religion,  ...  If  all  the  seed  of  Abraham  had  been  of 
the  religion  of  Pharaoh,  whose  subjects  they  long  were,  I 
pray  you,  madam,  what  religion  would  there  have  been  in 
the  world?  Or  if  all  men  in  the  days  of  the  apostles  had 
been  of  the  religion  of  the  Roman  emperors,  what  religion 
would  there  have  been  upon  the  face  of  the  earth?  .  .  . 
And  so,  madam,  ye  may  perceive  that  subjects  are  not 
bound  to  the  religion  of  their  princes,  albeit  they  are  com- 
manded to  give  them  obedience." 

Said  Mary,  "Ye  interpret  the  Scriptures  in  one  man- 
ner, and  they  [the  Roman  Catholic  teachers]  interpret  in 
another;  whom  shall  I  believe,  and  who  shall  be  judge?" 

"Ye  shall  believe  God,  that  plainly  speaketh  in  His 
word,"  answered  the  Reformer;  "and  farther  than  the 
"Word  teaches  you,  ye  neither  shall  believe  the  one  nor  the 
other.  The  word  of  God  is  plain  in  itself;  and  if  there 
appear  any  obscurity  in  one  place,  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
is  never  contrary  to  Himself,  explains  the  same  more  clearly 
in  other  places,  so  that  there  can  remain  no  doubt  but  unto 
such  as  obstinately  remain  ignorant. ' '  * 

Such  were  the  truths  that  the  fearless  Reformer,  at 
the  peril  of  his  life,  spoke  in  the  ear  of  royalty.  With  the 
same  undaunted  courage  he  kept  to  his  purpose,  praying 
and  fighting  the  battles  of  the  Lord,  until  Scotland  was 
free  from  popery. 

In  England  the  establishment  of  Protestantism  as  the 
national  religion  diminished,  but  did  not  wholly  stop,  perse- 
cution. While  many  of  the  doctrines  of  Rome  had  been 
renounced,  not  a  few  of  its  forms  were  retained.  The  su- 
premacy of  the  pope  was  rejected,  but  in  his  place  the 
monarch  was  enthroned  as  the  head  of  the  church.  In  the 
service  of  the  church  there  was  still  a  wide  departure  from 
the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  The  great  principle 
of  religious  liberty  was  not  as  yet  understood.  Though 
'LavDg,  "Works  of  John  Knox,"  Vol.  il,  pp.  281,  284  (e<3.  1895). 


252  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  horrible  cruelties  which  Rome  employed  against  heresy 
were  resorted  to  but  rarely  by  Protestant  rulers,  yet  the 
right  of  every  man  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  his  own  conscience  was  not  acknowledged.  All 
were  required  to  accept  the  doctrines  and  observe  the  forms 
of  worship  prescribed  by  the  established  church.  Dissenters 
suffered  persecution,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  for  hundreds 
of  years. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  thousands  of  pastors  were 
expelled  from  their  positions.  The  people  were  forbidden, 
on  pain  of  heavy  fines,  imprisonment,  and  banishment,  to 
attend  any  religious  meetings  except  such  as  were  sanc- 
tioned by  the  church.  Those  faithful  souls  who  could  not 
refrain  from  gathering  to  worship  God,  were  compelled  to 
meet  in  dark  alleys,  in  obscure  garrets,  and  at  some  seasons 
in  the  woods  at  midnight.  In  the  sheltering  depths  of  the 
forest,  a  temple  of  God's  owti  building,  those  scattered  and 
persecuted  children  of  the  Lord  assembled  to  pour  out  their 
souls  in  prayer  and  praise.  But  despite  all  their  precau- 
tions, many  suffered  for  their  faith.  The  jails  were 
crowded.  Families  were  broken  up.  Many  were  banished 
to  foreign  lands.  Yet  God  was  with  His  people,  and  per- 
secution could  not  prevail  to  silence  their  testimony.  Many 
were  driven  across  the  ocean  to  America,  and  here  laid  the 
foundations  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  which  have  been 
the  buhvark  and  glory  of  this  country. 

Again,  as  in  apostolic  days,  persecution  turned  out  to  the 
furtherance  of  the  gospel.  In  a  loathsome  dungeon  crowded 
with  profligates  and  felons,  John  Bunyan  breathed  the  very 
atmosphere  of  heaven ;  and  tlierc  he  wrote  his  wonderful 
allegory  of  the  pilgrim's  journey  from  the  land  of  destruc- 
tion to  the  celestial  city.  For  over  two  hundred  years  that 
voice  from  Bedford  jail  has  spoken  with  thrilling  power  to 
the  hearts  of  men.  Bunyan 's  ''Pilgrim's  Progress"  and 
"Grace  Abounding  to  the  Chief  of  Sinners"  have  guided 
many  feet  into  the  path  of  life. 

Baxter,  Flavel,  Alleine,  and  other  men  of  talent,  educa- 
tion, and  deep  Christian  experience,  stood  up  in  valiant  de- 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  253 

fense  of  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 
The  work  accomplished  by  these  men,  proscribed  and  out- 
lawed by  the  rulers  of  this  world,  can  never  perish.  Flavel's 
"Fountain  of  Life"  and  "Method  of  Grace"  have  taught 
thousands  how  to  commit  the  keeping  of  their  souls  to 
Christ.  Baxter's  "Reformed  Pastor"  has  proved  a  blessing 
to  many  who  desire  a  revival  of  the  work  of  God,  and  his 
"Saints'  Everlasting  Rest"  has  done  its  work  in  leading 
souls  to  the  "rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God." 

A  hundred  years  later,  in  a  day  of  great  spiritual  dark- 
ness, Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys  appeared  as  light-bearers 
for  God.  Under  the  rule  of  the  established  church,  the 
people  of  England  had  lapsed  into  a  state  of  religious  de- 
clension hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  heathenism.  Natu- 
ral religion  was  the  favorite  study  of  the  clergy,  and 
included  most  of  their  theology.  The  higher  classes  sneered 
at  piety,  and  prided  themselves  on  being  above  what  they 
called  its  fanaticism.  The  lower  classes  were  grossly  ig- 
norant, and  abandoned  to  vice,  while  the  church  had  no 
courage  or  faith  any  longer  to  support  the  downfallcn  cause 
of  truth. 

The  great  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  so  clearly 
taught  by  Luther,  had  been  almost  wholly  lost  sight  of; 
and  the  Romish  principle  of  trusting  to  good  works  for 
salvation,  had  taken  its  place.  "Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys, 
who  were  members  of  the  established  church,  were  sincere 
seekers  for  the  favor  of  God,  and  this  they  had  been  taught 
was  to  be  secured  by  a  virtuous  life  and  an  observance  of 
the  ordinances  of  religion. 

"When  Charles  "Wesley  at  one  time  fell  ill,  and  anticipated 
that  death  was  approaching,  he  was  asked  upon  what  he 
rested  his  hope  of  eternal  life.  His  answer  was,  "I  have 
used  my  best  endeavors  to  serve  God."  As  the  friend  who 
had  put  the  question  seemed  not  to  be  fully  satisfied  with 
his  answer,  "Wesley  thought,  ""What!  are  not  my  endeavors 
a  sufficient  ground  of  hope?  "Would  he  rob  me  of  my 
endeavors?     I  have  nothing  else  to  trust  to."*     Such  was 

» Whitehead,  John,  "Life  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wesley,"  p.  102 
(2d  Am.  eel.  1845). 


254  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  dense  darkness  that  had  settled  down  on  the  church, 
hiding  the  atonement,  robbing  Christ  of  His  glory,  and 
turning  the  minds  of  men  from  their  only  hope  of  salva- 
tion,—  the  blood  of  the  crucified  Redeemer. 

Wesley  and  his  associates  were  led  to  see  that  true  re- 
ligion is  seated  in  the  heart,  and  that  God's  law  extends 
to  the  thoughts  as  well  as  to  the  words  and  actions.  Con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  holiness  of  heart,  as  well  as  cor- 
rectness of  outward  deportment,  they  set  out  in  earnest  upon 
a  new  life.  By  the  most  diligent  and  prayerful  efforts  they 
endeavored  to  subdue  the  evils  of  the  natural  heart.  They 
lived  a  life  of  self-denial,  charity,  and  humiliation,  observing 
with  great  rigor  and  exactness  every  measure  which  they 
thought  could  be  helpful  to  them  in  obtaining  what  they 
most  desired, —  that  holiness  which  could  secure  the  favor 
of  God.  But  they  did  not  obtain  the  object  which  they 
sought.  In  vain  were  their  endeavors  to  free  themselves 
from  the  condemnation  of  sin  or  to  break  its  power.  It 
was  the  same  struggle  which  Luther  had  experienced  in  his 
cell  at  Erfurt.  It  was  the  same  question  which  had  tor- 
tured his  soul, — "How  should  man  be  just  before  God?"* 

The  fires  of  divine  truth,  well-nigh  extinguished  upon 
the  altars  of  Protestantism,  were  to  be  rekindled  from  the 
ancient  torch  handed  do\^Ti  the  ages  by  the  Bohemian  Chris- 
tians. After  the  Reformation,  Protestantism  in  Bohemia 
had  been  trampled  out  by  the  hordes  of  Rome.  All  who 
refused  to  renounce  the  truth  were  forced  to  flee.  Some  of 
these,  finding  refuge  in  Saxony,  there  maintained  the  an- 
cient faith.  It  was  from  the  descendants  of  these  Chris- 
tians that   light   came   to   Wesley   and   his   associates. 

John  and  Charles  Wesley,  after  being  ordained  to  the 
ministry,  were  sent  on  a  mission  to  America.  On  board 
the  ship  was  a  company  of  Moravians.  Violent  storms  were 
encountered  on  the  passage,  and  John  Wesley,  brought  face 
to  face  with  death,  felt  that  he  had  not  the  assurance  of 
peace  with  God.  The  Germans,  on  the  contrary,  manifested 
a  calmness  and  trust  to  which  he  was  a  stranger. 
*Job  9:2  (margin). 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  256 

•'I  had  long  before,"  he  says,  "observed  the  great  seri- 
ousness of  their  behavior.  Of  their  humility  they  had 
given  a  continual  proof,  by  performing  those  servile  offices 
for  the  other  passengers  which  none  of  the  English  would 
undertake;  for  which  they  desired  and  would  receive  no 
pay,  saying  it  was  good  for  their  proud  hearts,  and  their 
loving  Saviour  had  done  more  for  them.  And  every  day 
had  given  them  occasion  of  showing  a  meekness  which  no 
injury  could  move.  If  they  were  pushed,  struck,  or 
thrown  down,  they  rose  again  and  went  away;  but  no 
complaint  was  found  in  their  mouth.  There  was  now  an 
opportunity  of  trying  whether  they  were  delivered  from 
the  spirit  of  fear,  as  well  as  from  that  of  pride,  anger,  and 
revenge.  In  the  midst  of  the  psalm  wherewith  their  service 
began,  the  sea  broke  over,  split  the  mainsail  in  pieces, 
covered  the  ship,  and  poured  in  between  the  decks  as  if  the 
great  deep  had  already  swallowed  us  up.  A  terrible  scream-  > 
ing  began  among  the  English.  The  Germans  calmly  sung  i 
on.  I  asked  one  of  them  afterward,  'Were  you  not  afraid?*  | 
He  answered,  'I  thank  God,  no.'  I  asked,  'But  were  not  '? 
your  women  and  children  afraid?'  He  replied  mildly,  'No; 
our  women  and  children  are  not  afraid  to  die.'  "* 

Upon  arriving  in  Savannah,  Wesley  for  a  short  time 
abode  with  the  Moravians,  and  was  deeply  impressed  with 
their  Christian  deportment.  Of  one  of  their  religious  serv- 
ices, in  striking  contrast  to  the  lifeless  formalism  of  the 
Church  of  England,  he  wrote:  "The  great  simplicity  as 
well  as  solemnity  of  the  whole  almost  made  me  forget  the 
seventeen  hundred  years  between,  and  imagine  myself  in 
one  of  those  assemblies  where  form  and  state  were  not;  but 
Paul,  the  tent-maker,  or  Peter,  the  fisherman,  presided;  yet 
with  the  demonstration  of  the   Spirit  and  of  power.  "^ 

On  his  return  to  England,  Wesley,  under  the  instruction 
of  a  Moravian  preacher,  arrived  at  a  clearer  understand- 
ing of  Bible  faith.  He  was  convinced  that  he  must  re- 
nounce all  dependence  upon  his  own  works  for  salvation, 

^Whitehead,  "Life  of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley."  p.  10  (Am.  ed.  1845). 
'  Idem,  pp.  11,  12. 


256  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

and  must  trust  wholly  to  the  "Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  At  a  meeting  of  the  Moravian 
society  in  London,  a  statement  was  read  from  Luther,  de- 
scribing the  change  which  the  Spirit  of  God  works  in  the 
heart  of  the  believer.  As  Wesley  listened,  faith  was  kin- 
dled in  his  soul.  "I  felt  my  heart  strangely  warmed," 
he  says.  "I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ,  Christ  alone,  for 
salvation:  and  an  assurance  was  given  me,  that  He  had 
taken  away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death. ' ' ' 

Through  long  years  of  wearisome  and  comfortless  striv- 
ing,—  years  of  rigorous  self-denial,  of  reproach  and  humili- 
ation,—  Wesley  had  steadfastly  adhered  to  his  one  purpose 
of  seeking  God.  Now  he  had  found  Him;  and  he  found 
that  the  grace  which  he  had  toiled  to  vdn  by  prayers  and 
fasts,  by  almsdeeds  and  self-abnegation,  was  a  gift,  "with- 
out money,  and  without  price." 

Once  established  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  his  whole  soul 
burned  with  the  desire  to  spread  everywhere  a  knowledge 
of  the  glorious  gospel  of  God 's  free  grace.  ' '  I  look  upon  all 
the  world  as  my  parish,"  he  said;  "in  whatever  part  of  it 
I  am,  I  judge  it  meet,  right,  and  my  bounden  duty,  to  de- 
clare unto  all  that  are  willing  to  hear,  the  glad  tidings  of 
salvation. ' '  * 

He  continued  his  strict  and  self-denying  life,  not  now 
as  the  ground,  but  the  result  of  faith;  not  the  root,  but  the 
fniit  of  holiness.  The  grace  of  God  in  Christ  is  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Christian's  hope,  and  that  grace  will  be  mani- 
fested in  obedience.  Wesley's  life  was  devoted  to  the 
preaching  of  the  great  truths  which  he  had  received, — 
justification  through  faith  in  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ, 
and  the  renewing  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart, 
bringing  forth  fruit  in  a  life  conformed  to  the  example 
of  Christ. 

Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys  had  been  prepared  for  their 
work  by  long  and  sharp  personal  convictions  of  their 
» Whitehead,  "Life  of  John  Wesley,"  p.  52.  "Idem,  p.  74. 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  257 

own  lost  condition;  and  that  they  might  be  able  to  endure 
hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Christ,  they  had  been  subjected 
to  the  fiery  ordeal  of  scorn,  derision,  and  persecution,  both 
in  the  university  and  as  they  were  entering  the  ministry. 
They  and  a  few  others  who  sympathized  with  them  were 
contemptuously  called  Methodists  by  their  ungodly  fellow- 
students, —  a  name  which  is  at  the  present  time  regarded 
as  honorable  by  one  of  the  largest  denominations  in  Eng- 
land and  America. 

As  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  they  were 
strongly  attached  to  her  forms  of  worship,  but  the  Lord  had 
presented  before  them  in  His  word  a  higher  standard.  The 
Holy  Spirit  urged  them  to  preach  Christ  and  Him  crucified. 
The  power  of  the  Highest  attended  their  labors.  Thou- 
sands were  convicted  and  truly  converted.  It  was  neces- 
sary that  these  sheep  be  protected  from  ravening  wolves. 
Wesley  had  no  thought  of  forming  a  new  denomination,  but 
he  organized  them  under  what  was  called  the  Methodist 
Connection. 

Mysterious  and  trying  was  the  opposition  which  these 
preachers  encountered  from  the  established  church;  yet  God, 
in  His  wisdom,  had  overruled  events  to  cause  the  reform  to 
begin  wdthin  the  church  itself.  Had  it  come  wholly  from 
without,  it  would  not  have  penetrated  where  it  was  so  much 
needed.  But  as  the  revival  preachers  were  churchmen,  and 
labored  within  the  pale  of  the  church  wherever  they  could 
find  opportunity,  the  truth  had  an  entrance  where  the  doors 
would  otherwise  have  remained  closed.  Some  of  the  clergy 
were  roused  from  their  moral  stupor,  and  became  zealous 
preachers  in  their  own  parishes.  Churches  that  had  been 
petrified  by   formalism   were   quickened   into   life. 

In  Wesley's  time,  as  in  all  ages  of  the  church's  history, 
men  of  different  gifts  performed  their  appointed  work. 
They  did  not  harmonize  upon  every  point  of  doctrine,  but 
all  were  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  united  in  the 
absorbing  aim  to  win  souls  to  Christ.  The  differences  be- 
tween Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys  threatened  at  one  time  to 

9— G.  C. 


258  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

create  alienation;  but  as  they  learned  meekness  in  the  school 
of  Christ,  mutual  forbearance  and  charity  reconciled  them. 
They  had  no  time  to  dispute,  while  error  and  iniquity  were 
teeming  everywhere,  and  sinners  were  going  down  to  ruin. 

The  servants  of  God  trod  a  rugged  path.  Men  of  influ- 
ence and  learning  employed  their  powers  against  them. 
After  a  time  many  of  the  clergy  manifested  determined 
hostility,  and  the  doors  of  the  churches  were  closed  against 
a  pure  faitli  and  those  who  proclaimed  it.  The  course  of  the 
clergy  in  denouncing  them  from  the  pulpit,  aroused  the 
elements  of  darkness,  ignorance,  and  iniquity.  Again  and 
again  did  John  Wesley  escape  death  by  a  miracle  of  God's 
mercy.  When  the  rage  of  the  mob  was  excited  against  him, 
and  there  seemed  no  way  ofescape,  an  angel  in  human  form 
came  to  his  side,  the  mob  fell  back,  and  the  servant  of  Christ 
passed  in  safety  from  the  place  of  danger. 

Of  his  deliverance  from  the  enraged  mob  on  one  of  these 
occasions,  Wesley  said:  "Many  .^.endeavored  to  throw  me 
down  while  we  were  going  down  hill  on  a  slippery  path 
to  the  town;  as  well  judging  that  if  I  was  once  on  the 
ground,  I  should  hardly  rise  any  more.  But  I  made  no 
stumble  at  all,  nor  the  least  slip,  till  I  was  entirely  out  of 
their  hands.  .  .  .  Although  many  strove  to  lay  hold  on  my 
collar  or  clothes,  to  pull  me  down,  they  could  not  fasten  at 
all:  only  one  got  fast  hold  of  the  flap  of  my  waistcoat, 
which  w^as  soon  left  in  his  hand;  the  other  flap,  in  the 
pocket  of  which  was  a  bank-note,  was  torn  but  half  off. 
...  A  lusty  man  just  behind,  struck  at  me  several  times, 
with  a  large  oaken  stick;  with  which  if  he  had  struck  me 
once  on  the  back  part  of  my  head,  it  would  have  saved 
him  all  further  trouble.  But  every  time  the  blow  was  turned 
aside,  I  know  not  how;  for  I  could  not  move  to  the  right 
hand  or  left.  .  .  .  Another  came  rushing  through  the  press, 
and  raising  his  arm  to  strike,  on  a  sudden  let  it  drop,  and 
only  stroked  my  head,  saying,  'What  soft  hair  he  has!' 
.  .  .  The  very  first  men  whose  hearts  were  turned  were  the 
heroes  of  the  town,  the  captains  of  the  rabble  on  all  occa- 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  259 

sions,  one  of  them  having  been  a  prize-fighter  at  the  bear- 
gardens. .  .  . 

"By  how  gentle  degrees  does  God  prepare  us  for  His 
will!  Two  years  ago,  a  piece  of  brick  grazed  my  shoulders. 
It  was  a  year  after  that  the  stone  struck  me  between  the 
eyes.  Last  month  I  received  one  blow,  and  this  evening  two, 
one  before  we  came  into  the  town,  and  one  after  we  were 
gone  out;  but  both  were  as  nothing:  for  though  one  man 
struck  me  on  the  breast  with  all  his  might,  and  the  other 
on  the  mouth  with  such  a  force  that  the  blood  gushed  out 
immediately,  I  felt  no  more  pain  from  either  of  the  blows 
than  if  they  had  touched  me  with  a  straw."* 

The  Methodists  of  those  early  days  —  people  as  well  as 
preachers  —  endured  ridicule  and  persecution,  alike  from 
church-members  and  from  the  openly  irreligious  who  were 
inflamed  by  their  misrepresentations.  They  were  arraigned 
before  courts  of  justice  —  such  only  in  name,  for  justice  was 
rare  in  the  courts  of  that  time.  Often  they  suffered  vio- 
lence from  their  persecutors.  Mobs  went  from  house  to 
house,  destroying  furniture  and  goods,  plundering  whatever 
they  chose,  and  brutally  abusing  men,  women,  and  children. 
In  some  instances,  public  notices  were  posted,  calling  upon 
those  who  desired  to  assist  in  breaking  the  windows  and 
robbing  the  houses  of  the  Methodists,  to  assemble  at  a  given 
time  and  place.  These  open  violations  of  both  human  and 
divine  law  were  allowed  to  pass  without  a  reprimand.  A 
systematic  persecution  was  carried  on  against  a  people  whose 
only  fault  was  that  of  seeking  to  turn  the  feet  of  sinners 
from  the  path  of  destruction  to  the  path  of  holiness. 

Said  John  Wesley,  referring  to  the  charges  against  him- 
self and  his  associates:  "Some  allege  that  the  doctrines  of 
these  men  are  false,  erroneous,  and  enthusiastic;  that  they 
are  new  and  unheard-of  till  of  late;  that  they  are  Quaker- 
ism, fanaticism,  popery.  This  whole  pretense  has  been 
already  cut  up  by  the  roots,  it  having  been  shown  at  large 
that  every  branch  of  this  doctrine  is  the  plain  doctrine  of 
» Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  297,  298    (ed.   1831). 


260  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Scripture  interpreted  by  our  own  church.  Therefore  it 
cannot  be  either  false  or  erroneous,  provided  the  Scripture 
be  true."  "Others  allege,  'Their  doctrine  is  too  strict; 
they  make  the  way  to  heaven  too  narrow.'  And  this  is  in 
truth  the  original  objection,  (as  it  was  almost  the  only  one 
for  some  time,)  and  is  secretly  at  the  bottom  of  a  thousand 
more,  which  appear  in  various  forms.  But  do  they  make 
the  way  to  heaven  any  narrower  than  our  Lord  and  His 
apostles  made  it?  Is  their  doctrine  stricter  than  that  of 
the  Bible?  Consider  only  a  few  plain  texts:  'Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
mind,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength.' 
'For  every  idle  word  which  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give 
an  account  in  the  day  of  judgment.'  '"Whether  ye  eat,  or 
drink,  or  whatever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.' 

"If  their  doctrine  is  stricter  than  this,  they  are  to  blame; 
but  you  know  in  your  conscience  it  is  not.  And  who  can 
be  one  jot  less  strict  without  corrupting  the  word  of  God? 
Can  any  steward  of  the  mysteries  of  God  be  found  faith- 
ful if  he  change  any  part  of  that  sacred  depositum?  No. 
He  can  a])ate  nothing,  he  can  soften  nothing;  he  is  con- 
strained to  declare  to  all  men,  'I  may  not  bring  down  the 
Scripture  to  your  taste.  You  must  come  up  to  it,  or  per- 
ish forever,'  This  is  the  real  ground  of  that  other  popular 
cry  concerning  'the  uneharitableness  of  these  men.'  Un- 
charitable, are  they?  In  what  respect?  Do  they  not  feed 
the  hungry  and  clothe  the  naked?  'No;  that  is  not  the 
thing:  they  are  not  Avanting  in  tliis:  but  they  are  so  un- 
charitable in  judging!  they  think  none  can  be  saved  but 
those  of  their  own  way.'  '" 

The  spiritual  declension  which  had  been  manifest  in 
England  just  before  the  time  of  "Wesley,  was  in  great  degree 
the  result  of  Antinomian  teaching.  ]\lany  affirmed  that 
Christ  had  abolished  the  moral  law,  and  that  Christians  are 
therefore  under  no  obligation  to  observe  it;  that  a  believer 
is  freed  from  the  "bondage  of  good  works."  Others,  though 
» Wesley's  Works,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  152,  153. 


LATER   ENGLISH  REFORMEHS  261 

admitting  the  perpetuity  of  the  law,  declared  that  it  was 
unnecessary  for  ministers  to  exhort  the  people  to  obedience 
of  its  precepts,  since  those  whom  God  had  elected  to  salva- 
tion would,  "by  the  irresistible  impulse  of  divine  grace,  be 
led  to  the  practice  of  piety  and  virtue,"  while  those  who 
were  doomed  to  eternal  reprobation  "did  not  have  power 
to  obey  the   divine  law." 

Others,  also  holding  that  "the  elect  cannot  fall  from 
grace  nor  forfeit  the  divine  favor,"  arrived  at  the  still  more 
hideous  conclusion  that  "the  wicked  actions  they  commit 
are  not  really  sinful,  nor  to  be  considered  as  instances  of 
their  violation  of  the  divine  law,  and  that  consequently  they 
have  no  occasion  either  to  confess  their  sins  or  to  break 
them  off  by  repentance. ' '  *  Therefore,  they  declared  that 
even  one  of  the  vilest  of  sins,  "considered  universally  an 
enormous  violation  of  the  divine  law,  is  not  a  sin  in  the 
sight  of  God,"  if  committed  by  one  of  the  elect,  "because 
it  is  one  of  the  essential  and  distinctive  characteristics  of 
the  elect,  that  they  cannot  do  anything  that  is  either  dis- 
pleasing to  God  or  prohibited  by  the  law." 

These  monstrous  doctrines  are  essentially  the  same  as 
the  later  teaching  of  popular  educators  and  theologians, — 
that  there  is  no  unchangeable  divine  law  as  the  standard 
of  right,  but  that  the  standard  of  morality  is  indicated  by 
society  itself,  and  has  constantly  been  subject  to  change. 
All  these  ideas  are  inspired  by  the  same  master-spirit, — 
by  him  who,  even  among  the  sinless  inhabitants  of  heaven, 
began  his  work  of  seeking  to  break  down  the  righteous 
restraints  of  the  law  of  God. 

The  doctrine  of  the  divine  decrees,  unalterably  fixing 
the  character  of  men,  had  led  many  to  a  virtual  rejection 
of  the  law  of  God.  Wesley  steadfastly  opposed  the  errors  of 
the  Antinomian  teachers,  and  showed  that  this  doctrine 
which  led  to  Antinomianism  was  contrary  to  the  Scriptures. 
"The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared 
'McClintock  and  Strong's  Cyclopaedia,  art.  Antiuomians    (ed.   1871). 


262  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  all  men.**  "This  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight 
of  God  our  Saviour;  who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved, 
and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  For  there 
is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  men,  the 
man  Christ  Jesus;  who  gave  Himself  a  ransom  for  all."* 
The  Spirit  of  God  is  freely  bestoAved,  to  enable  every  man 
to  lay  hold  upon  the  means  of  salvation.  Thus  Christ,  "the 
true  Light,"  "lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world. ' '  ^  Men  fail  of  salvation  through  their  own  wilful 
refusal  of  the  gift  of  life. 

In  answer  to  the  claim  that  at  the  death  of  Christ  the 
precepts  of  the  decalogue  had  been  abolished  with  the  cere- 
monial law,  Wesley  said:  "The  moral  law,  contained  in  the 
ten  commandments  and  enforced  by  the  prophets,  He  did 
not  take  away.  It  was  not  the  design  of  His  coming  to 
revoke  any  part  of  this.  This  is  a  law  which  never  can  be 
broken,  which  'stands  fast  as  the  faithful  witness  in  heaven.' 
.  .  .  This  was  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  being 
'written  not  on  tables  of  -stone,'  but  on  the  hearts  of 
all  the  children  of  men,  when  they  came  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  Creator.  And  however  the  letters  once  wrote  by 
the  finger  of  God  are  now  in  a  great  measure  defaced 
by  sin,  yet  can  they  not  wholly  be  blotted  out,  while  we 
have  any  consciousness  of  good  and  evil.  Every  part  of 
this  law  must  remain  in  force  upon  all  mankind,  and 
in  all  ages;  as  not  depending  either  on  time  or  place, 
or  any  other  circumstances  liable  to  change,  but  on  the 
nature  of  God,  and  the  nature  of  man,  and  their  unchange- 
able relation  to  each  other. 

"  '  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil. ' .  .  .  "Without 
question,  His  meaning  in  this  place  is  (consistently  with 
all  that  goes  before  and  follows  after), —  I  am  come  to  estab- 
lish it  in  its  fulness,  in  spite  of  all  the  glosses  of  men :  I  am 
come  to  place  in  a  full  and  clear  view  whatsoever  was  dark 
or  obscure  therein:  I  am  come  to  declare  the  true  and  full 
import  of  every  part  of  it;  to  show  the  length  and  breadth, 
the  entire  extent,  of  every  commandment  contained  therein, 
»Titus  2:11;  1  Tim.  2:3-6.  *John  1:9. 


LATER  ENGLISH  REFORMERS  263 

and   the   height    and    depth,    the    inconceivable   purity    and 
spirituality  of  it  in  all  its  branches. ' '  ^ 

Wesley  declared  the  perfect  harmony  of  the  law  and  the 
gospel.  "There  is,  therefore,  the  closest  connection  that  can 
be  conceived,  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  On  the  one 
hand,  the  law  continually  makes  way  for,  and  points  us  to, 
the  gospel;  on  the  other,  the  gospel  continually  leads  us  to 
a  more  exact  fulfilling  of  the  law.  The  law,  for  instance, 
requires  us  to  love  God,  to  love  our  neighbor,  to  be  meek, 
humble,  or  holy.  We  feel  that  we  are  not  sufficient  for 
these  things ;  yea,  that  '  with  man  this  is  impossible : '  but  we 
see  a  promise  of  God  to  give  us  that  love,  and  to  make  us 
humble,  meek,  and  holy:  we  lay  hold  of  this  gospel,  of  these 
glad  tidings;  it  is  done  unto  us  according  to  our  faith;  and 
'the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  us,'  through  faith 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  .  .  . 

"In  the  highest  rank  of  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,"  said  Wesley,  "are  they  who  openly  and  explicitly 
'judge  the  law'  itself,  and  'speak  evil  of  the  law;'  who  teach 
men  to  break  (to  dissolve,  to  loose,  to  untie  the  obligation  of) 
not  one  only,  whether  of  the  least  or  of  the  greatest,  but  all 
the  commandments  at  a  stroke.  .  .  .  The  most  surprising  of 
all  the  circumstances  that  attend  this  strong  delusion,  is  that 
they  who  are  given  up  to  it,  really  believe  that  they  honor 
Christ  by  overthrowing  His  law,  and  that  they  are  magnify- 
ing: His  office  while  they  are  destroying  His  doctrine!  Yea, 
they  honor  Him  just  as  Judas  did  when  he  said,  'Hail, 
Master,  and  kissed  Him.'  And  He  may  as  justly  say  to 
every  one  of  them,  'Betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a 
kiss?'  It  is  no  other  than  betraying  Him  with  a  kiss,  to 
talk  of  His  blood,  and  take  away  His  crown ;  to  set  light 
by  any  part  of  His  law,  under  pretense  of  advancing  His 
gospel.  Nor  indeed  can  any  one  escape  this  cliarge,  who 
preaches  faith  in  any  such  a  manner  as  either  directly  or 
indirectly  tends  to  set  aside  any  branch  of  obedience:  who 
preaches  Christ  so  as  to  disannul,  or  weaken  in  any  wise, 
the  least  of  the  commandments  of  God. ' '  * 
'  Weslej^  's  Works,  Sermon  25. 


264  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

To  those  who  urged  that  "the  preaching  of  the  gospel 
answers  all  the  ends  of  the  law,"  Wesley  replied:  "This 
we  utterly  deny.  It  does  not  answer  the  very  first  end  of  the 
law,  namely,  the  convincing  men  of  sin,  the  awakening  those 
who  are  still  asleep  on  the  brink  of  hell."  The  apostle 
Paul  declares  that  "by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin;" 
"and  not  until  man  is  convicted  of  sin,  will  he  truly  feel 
his  need  of  the  atoning  lilood  of  Christ.  .  .  .  'They  that  be 
whole,'  as  our  Lord  Himself  observes,  'need  not  a  physi- 
cian, but  they  that  are  sick.'  It  is  absurd,  therefore,  to 
offer  a  physician  to  them  that  are  whole,  or  that  at  least 
imagine  themselves  so  to  be.  You  are  first  to  convince 
them  that  they  are  sick;  otherwise  they  will  not  thank  you 
for  your  labor.  It  is  equally  absurd  to  offer  Christ  to 
them  whose  heart  is  whole,  having  never  yet  been  broken.'" 

Thus  while  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God, 
Wesley,  like  his  INIaster,  sought  to  "magnify  the  law,  and 
make  it  honorable."  Faith  Fully  did  he  accomplish  the  work 
given  him  of  God,  and  glorious  were  tlie  results  which  he 
was  permitted  to  behold.  At  the  close  of  his  long  life  of 
more  than  fourscore  jamrs  —  aljove  half  a  century  spent  in 
itinerant  ministry  —  his  avowed  adherents  numbered  more 
than  half  a  million  souls.  But  the  multitude  that  through 
his  labors  had  been  lifted  from  the  ruin  and  degradation  of 
sin  to  a  higher  and  a  purer  life,  and  the  number  who  by 
his  teaching  had  attained  to  a  deeper  and  richer  experi- 
ence, will  never  be  known  till  the  whole  family  of  the  re- 
deemed shall  be  gathered  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  His 
life  presents  a  lesson  of  priceless  worth  to  every  Christian. 
Would  that  the  faith  and  humility,  the  untiring  zeal,  self- 
sacrifice,  and  devotion  of  this  servant  of  Christ,  might  be 
refiected  in  the  churches  of  to-day! 

'  Wesley 's  Works,  Sermon  35, 


il^f..i  ' 

••■Jr"l 

m 

) 

.^ 

j\ 

A 

THE  BIBLE  AND  THE   FRENCH    REVyOLUTION-15 

In  the  sixteenth  century  the  Reformation,  presenting  an 
open  Bible  to  the  people,  had  sought  admission  to  all  the 
countries  of  Europe.  Some  nations  welcomed  it  with  glad- 
ness, as  a  messenger  of  Heaven.  In  other  lands,  the  papacy 
succeeded  to  a  great  extent  in  preventing  its  entrance;  and 
the  light  of  Bible  knowledge,  with  its  elevating  influences, 
was  almost  wholly  excluded.  In  one  country,  though  the 
light  found  entrance,  it  was  not  comprehended  by  the  dark- 
ness. For  centuries,  truth  and  error  struggled  for  the  mas- 
tery. At  last  the  evil  triumphed,  and  the  truth  of  Heaven 
was  thrust  out.  ''This  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light."*  The  nation  was  left  to  reap  the  results  of  the 
course  which  she  had  chosen.  The  restraint  of  God's  Spirit 
was  removed  from  a  people  that  had  despised  the  gift  of 
His  grace.  Evil  was  permitted  to  come  to  maturity.  And 
all  the  world  saw  the  fruit  of  wilful  rejection  of  the  light. 

The  war  against  the  Bible,  carried  forward  for  so  many 
centuries  in  France,  culminated  in  the  scenes  of  the  Revo- 
lution. That  terrible  outbreaking  was  but  the  legitimate 
result  of  Rome's  suppression  of  the  Scriptures.''  It  pre- 
sented the  most  striking  illustration  which  the  world  has 
ever  witnessed,  of  the  working  out  of  the  papal  policy, —  an 
illustration  of  the  results  to  which  for  more  than  a  thou- 


'Jolin  3:19. 


'  See  Appenclix. 
(265) 


266  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

sand  years  the  teaching  of  the  Roman  Church  had  been 
tending. 

The  suppression  of  the  Scriptures  during  the  period  of 
papal  supremacy  was  foretold  by  the  prophets;  and  the 
Revelator  points  also  to  the  terrible  results  that  were  to 
accrue  especially  to  France  from  the  domination  of  "the 
man  of  sin." 

Said  the  angel  of  the  Lord:  "The  holy  city  shall  they 
tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months.  And  I  will  give 
power  unto  My  two  witnesses,  and  they  shall  prophesy  a 
thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days,  clothed  in  sack- 
cloth. .  .  .  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  tes- 
timony, the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit 
shall  make  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them,  and 
kill  them.  And  tlieir  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of 
the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified.  .  .  .  And  they  that  dwell 
upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry,  and 
shall  send  gifts  one  to  another;  because  these  two  prophets 
tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the  earth.  And  after  three 
days  and  a  half  the  Spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into 
them,  and  they  stood  upon  their  feet;  and  great  fear  fell 
upon  them  which  saw  them. ' '  * 

The  periods  here  mentioned — "forty  and  two  months," 
and  "a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days" — are 
the  same,  alike  representing  the  time  in  which  the  church 
of  Christ  was  to  suffer  oppression  from  Rome.  The  1260 
years  of  papal  supremacy  began  in  a.  d.  538,  and  would 
therefore  terminate  in  1798."  At  that  time  a  French  army 
entered  Rome,  and  made  the  pope  a  prisoner,  and  he  died 
in  exile.  Though  a  new  pope  was  soon  afterward  elected, 
the  papal  hierarchy  has  never  since  been  able  to  wield  the 
power  which  it  before  possessed. 

The  persecution  of  the  church  did  not  continue  through- 
out the  entire  period  of  the  1260  years.  God  in  mercy  to 
His  people  cut  short  the  time  of  their  fiery  trial.  In  fore- 
'Rev.  11:2-11.  'See  Appendix. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      267 

telling  the  "great  tribulation"  to  befall  the  church,  the 
Saviour  said,  "Except  those  days  should  be  shortened,  there 
should  no  flesh  be  saved:  but  for  the  elect's  sake  those 
days  shall  be  shortened. ' '  *  Through  the  influence  of  the 
Reformation,  the  persecution  was  brought  to  an  end  prior 
to  1798. 

Concerning  the  two  witnesses,  the  prophet  declares 
further,  "These  are  the  two  olive-trees,  and  the  two  candle- 
sticks standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth."  "Thy  word," 
said  the  psalmist,  "is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto 
my  path."^  The  two  witnesses  represent  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament.  Both  are  important 
testimonies  to  the  origin  and  perpetuity  of  the  law  of  God. 
Both  are  witnesses  also  to  the  plan  of  salvation.  The  types, 
sacriflces,  and  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  point  for- 
ward to  a  Saviour  to  come.  The  Gospels  and  Epistles  of 
the  New  Testament  tell  of  a  Saviour  who  has  come  in  the 
exact  manner  foretold  by  type  and  prophecy. 

"They  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three- 
score days,  clothed  in  sackcloth."  During  the  greater  part 
of  this  period,  God's  witnesses  remained  in  a  state  of  obscu- 
rity. The  papal  power  sought  to  hide  from  the  people  the 
Word  of  truth,  and  set  before  them  false  witnesses  to  con- 
tradict its  testimony.^  When  the  Bible  was  proscribed  by 
religious  and  secular  authority;  when  its  testimony  was 
perverted,  and  every  effort  made  that  men  and  demons  could 
invent  to  turn  the  minds  of  the  people  from  it;  when  those 
who  dared  proclaim  its  sacred  truths  were  hunted,  betrayed, 
tortured,  buried  in  dungeon  cells,  martyred  for  their  faitli, 
or  compelled  to  flee  to  mountain  fastnesses,  and  to  dens  and 
caves  of  the  earth, —  then  the  faithful  witnesses  prophesied 
in  sackcloth.  Yet  they  continued  their  testimony  through- 
out the  entire  period  of  1260  years.  In  the  darkest  times 
there  were  faithful  men  who  loved  God's  word,  and  were 
jealous  for  His  honor.     To  these  loyal  servants  were  given 

'Matt.  24:22.  *  Rev.  11:4;  Ps.  119:105.  "See  Appendix. 


268  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

wisdom,  power,  and  authority  to  declare  His  truth  during 
the  whole  of  this  time. 

"And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  proceedeth  out  of 
their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies:  and  if  any  man 
will  hurt  them,  he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed. ' '  *  Men 
cannot  with  impunity  trample  upon  the  word  of  God.  The 
meaning  of  this  fearful  denunciation  is  set  forth  in  the 
closing  chapter  of  the  Revelation :  "  I  testify  unto  every  man 
that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.  If  any 
man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto  him 
the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book:  and  if  any  man 
shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy, 
God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out 
of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written  in 
this  book."' 

Such  are  the  warnings  which  God  has  given  to  guard 
men  against  changing  in  any  manner  that  which  He  has 
revealed  or  commanded.  These  solemn  denunciations  apply 
to  all  who  by  their  influence  lead  men  to  regard  lightly  the 
law  of  God.  They  should  cause  those  to  fear  and  trem])le 
who  flippantly  declare  it  a  matter  of  little  consequence 
whether  we  obey  God's  law  or  not.  All  who  exalt  their  own 
opinions  above  di\ane  revelation,  all  who  would  change  the 
plain  meaning  of  Scripture  to  suit  their  own  convenience, 
or  for  the  sake  of  conforming  to  the  world,  are  taking  upon 
themselves  a  fearful  responsibility.  The  written  word,  the 
law  of  God,  will  measure  the  character  of  every  man,  and 
condemn  all  whom  this  unerring  test  shall  declare  wanting. 

"When  they  shall  have  finished  [are  finishing]  their  testi- 
mony." The  period  when  the  two  witnesses  were  to  proph- 
esy clothed  in  sackcloth,  ended  in  1798.  As  they  were 
approaching  the  termination  of  their  work  in  obscurity, 
war  WRS  to  be  made  upon  them  by  the  power  represented 
as  "the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit." 
In  many  of  the  nations  of  Europe  the  powers  that  ruled 
in  church  and  state  had  for  centuries  been  controlled  by 
>Kev.  11:5.  *  Rev!  22:18,  19. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      269 

Satan,  through  the  medium  of  the  papacy.  But  here  is 
brought  to  view  a  new  manifestation  of  satanie  power. 

It  had  been  Rome's  policy,  under  a  profession  of  rever- 
ence for  the  Bible,  to  keep  it  locked  up  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  and  hidden  away  from  the  people.  Under  her  rule 
the  witnesses  prophesied,  "clothed  in  sackcloth."  But  an- 
other power  —  the  beast  from  the  bottomless  pit  —  was  to 
arise  to  make  open,  avowed  war  upon  the  word  of  God. 

The  "great  city"  in  whose  streets  the  witnesses  are  slain, 
and  where  their  dead  bodies  lie,  "is  spiritually  Egypt." 
Of  all  nations  presented  in  Bible  history,  Egypt  most 
boldly  denied  the  existence  of  the  living  God,  and  resisted 
His  commands.  No  monarch  ever  ventured  upon  more  open 
and  high-handed  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  Heaven 
than  did  the  king  of  Egypt.  When  the  message  was 
brought  him  by  Moses,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  Pharaoh 
proudly  answered,  "Wlio  is  Jehovah,  that  I  should  obey 
His  voice  to  let  Israel  go?  I  know  not  Jehovah,  neither  will 
I  let  Israel  go. "  ^  This  is  atheism ;  and  the  nation  rep- 
resented by  Egypt  would  give  voice  to  a  similar  denial  of 
the  claims  of  the  living  God,  and  would  manifest  a  like 
spirit  of  unbelief  and  defiance.  The  "great  city"  is  also 
compared,  "spiritually,"  to  Sodom.  The  corruption  of 
Sodom  in  breaking  the  law  of  God  was  especially  manifested 
in  licentiousness.  And  this  sin  was  also  to  be  a  pre-eminent 
characteristic  of  the  nation  that  should  fulfil  the  specifica- 
tions of  this  scripture. 

According  to  the  words  of  the  prophet,  then,  a  little  be- 
fore the  year  1798  some  power  of  satanie  origin  and  char- 
acter would  rise  to  make  war  upon  the  Bible.  And  in  the 
land  where  the  testimony  of  God's  two  witnesses  should 
thus  be  silenced,  there  would  be  manifest  the  atheism  of 
the  Pharaoh  and  the  licentiousness  of  Sodom. 

This  prophecy  has  received  a  most  exact  and  striking  ful- 
filment in  the  history  of  France.  During  the  Revolution, 
in  1793,  "the  world  for  the  first  time  heard  an  assembly  of 

»Ex.  5:2. 


270  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

men,  born  and  educated  in  civilization,  and  assuming  the 
right  to  govern  one  of  the  finest  of  the  European  nations, 
uplift  their  united  voice  to  deny  the  most  solemn  truth 
which  man's  soul  receives,  and  renounce  unanimously  the 
belief  and  worship  of  a  Deity. "  ^  "  France  is  the  only 
nation  in  the  world  concerning  which  the  authentic  record 
surviA'es,  that  as  a  nation  she  lifted  her  hand  in  open  re- 
bellion against  the  Author  of  the  universe.  Plenty  of  blas- 
phemers, plenty  of  infidels,  there  have  been,  and  still 
continue  to  be,  in  England,  Germany,  Spain,  and  elsewhere; 
but  France  stands  apart  in  tlie  world's  history  as  the  single 
state  which,  by  the  decree  of  her  Legislative  Assembly,  pro- 
nounced that  there  was  no  God,  and  of  which  the  entire 
population  of  the  capital,  and  a  vast  majority  elsewhere, 
women  as  well  as  men,  danced  and  sang  with  joy  in  accept- 
ing the  announcement.'"' 

France  presented  also  the  characteristic  which  especially 
distinguished  Sodom.  During  the  Revolution  there  was 
manifest  a  state  of  moral  debasement  and  corruption  simi- 
lar to  that  which  brought  destruction  upon  the  cities  of  the 
plain.  And  the  historian  presents  together  the  atheism  and 
the  licentiousness  of  France,  as  given  in  the  prophecy : 
"Intimately  connected  with  these  laws  affecting  religion,  was 
that  which  reduced  the  union  of  marriage  —  the  most  sacred 
engagement  which  human  beings  can  form,  and  the  perma- 
nence of  which  leads  most  strongly  to  the  consolidation  of 
society  —  to  the  state  of  a  mere  civil  contract  of  a  transitory 
character,  which  any.  two  persons  might  engage  in  and  cast 
loose  at  pleasure.  ...  If  fiends  had  set  themselves  to  work 
to  discover  a  mode  of  most  effectually  destroying  whatever 
is  venerable,  graceful,  or  permanent  in  domestic  life,  and  of 
obtaining  at  the  same  time  an  assurance  that  the  mischief 
which  it  was  their  object  to  create  should  be  perpetuated 
from  one  generation  to  another,  they  could  not  have  in- 
vented a  more  effectual  plan  than  the  degradation  of  mar- 

*  Seott,  Sir  Walter,  "Life  of  Napoleon  Buonaparte,'* 

Vol.  I,  ch.  17   (ed.  1854). 

*  Blackwood's  Magazine,  November,  1870. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      271 

riage.  .  .  .  Sophie  Arnoult,  an  actress  famous  for  the  witty 
things  she  said,  described  the  republican  marriage  as  'the 
sacrament  of  adultery. '  "  ' 

"Where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified."  This  specifica- 
tion of  the  prophecy  was  also  fulfilled  by  France.  In  no 
land  had  the  spirit  of  enmity  against  Christ  been  more 
strikingly  displayed.  In  no  country  had  the  truth  en- 
countered more  bitter  and  cruel  opposition.  In  the  per- 
secution which  France  had  visited  upon  the  confessors  of 
the  gospel,  she  had  crucified  Christ  in  the  person  of  His 
disciples. 

Century  after  century  the  blood  of  the  saints  had  been 
shed.  While  the  Waldenses  laid  down  their  lives  upon  the 
mountains  of  Piedmont  "for  the  word  of  God,  and  for 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,"  similar  witness  to  the  truth 
had  been  borne  by  their  brethren,  the  Albigenses  of  France. 
In  the  days  of  the  Reformation,  its  disciples  had  been  put 
to  death  with  horrible  tortures.  King  and  nobles,  high- 
born women  and  delicate  maidens,  the  pride  and  chivalry 
of  the  nation,  had  feasted  their  eyes  upon  the  agonies  of 
the  martyrs  of  Jesus.  The  brave  Huguenots,  battling  for 
those  rights  which  the  human  heart  holds  most  sacred,  had 
poured  out  their  blood  on  many  a  hard-fought  field.  The 
Protestants  were  counted  as  outlaws,  a  price  was  set  upon 
their  heads,  and  they  were  hunted  down  like  wild  beasts. 

The  "Church  in  the  Desert,"  the  few  descendants  of 
the  ancient  Christians  that  still  lingered  in  France  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  hiding  away  in  the  mountains  of  the 
south,  still  cherished  the  faith  of  their  fathers.  As  they 
ventured  to  meet  by  night  on  mountainside  or  lonely  moor, 
they  were  chased  by  dragoons,  and  dragged  away  to  life- 
long slavery  in  the  galleys.  The  purest,  the  most  refined, 
and  the  most  intelligent  of  the  French,  were  chained,  in 
horrible  torture,  amidst  robbers  and  assassins.*  Others, 
more  mercifully  dealt  with,  were  shot  down  in  cold  blood, 
as,  unarmed  and  helpless,  they  fell  upon  their  knees  in 
» Seott,  Vol.  I,  ch.  17.  » See  WyUe,  b.  22,  ch.  6. 


272  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

prayer.  Hundreds  of  aged  men,  defenseless  women,  and 
innocent  children  were  left  dead  upon  the  earth  at  their 
place  of  meeting.  In  traversing  the  mountainside  or  the 
forest,  where  they  had  been  accustomed  to  assemble,  it  was 
not  unusual  to  find  "at  every  four  paces,  dead  bodies  dotting 
the  sward,  and  corpses  hanging  suspended  from  the  trees." 
Their  country,  laid  waste  with  the  sword,  the  axe,  the 
fagot,  "was  converted  into  one  vast,  gloomy  wilderness." 
"These  atrocities  were  enacted  ...  in  no  dark  age,  but 
in  the  brilliant  era  of  Louis  XIV.  Science  was  then  cul- 
tivated, letters  flourished,  the  divines  of  the  court  and  of 
the  capital  were  learned  and  eloquent  men,  and  greatly 
affected  the  graces  of  meekness  and  charity. ' ' ' 

But  blackest  in  the  black  catalogue  of  crime,  most  hor- 
rible among  the  fiendish  deeds  of  all  the  dreadful  centu- 
ries, was  the  St.  Bartholomew  Massacre.  The  world  still 
recalls  with  shuddering  horror  the  scenes  of  that  most 
cowardly  and  cruel  onslaught.  The  king  of  France,  urged 
on  by  Romish  priests  and  prelates,  lent  his  sanction  to  the 
dreadful  work.  A  bell,  tolling  at  dead  of  night,  was  a 
signal  for  the  slaughter.  Protestants  by  thousands,  sleep- 
ing quietly  in  their  homes,  trusting  to  the  plighted  honor 
of  their  king,  were  dragged  forth  without  a  warning,  and 
murdered   in   cold   blood. 

As  Christ  was  the  invisible  leader  of  His  people  from 
Egyptian  bondage,  so  was  Satan  the  unseen  leader  of  his 
subjects  in  this  horrible  work  of  multiplying  martyrs.  For 
seven  days  the  massacre  was  continued  in  Paris,  the  first 
three  with  inconceivable  fury.  And  it  was  not  confined  to 
the  city  itself,  but  by  special  -  order  of  the  king,  was  ex- 
tended to  all  tile  provinces  and  towns  where  Protestants 
were  found.  Neither  age  nor  sex  was  respected.  Neither 
the  innocent  babe  nor  the  man  of  gray  hairs  was  spared. 
Noble  and  peasant,  old  and  young,  mother  and  child,  were 
cut  down  together.  Throughout  France  the  butchery  con- 
tinued for  two  months.  Seventy  thousand  of  the  very  flower 
of  the  nation  perished. 

*  Wylie,  b.  22,  ch.  7t 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      273 

"When  the  news  of  the  massacre  reached  Rome,  the 
exultation  among  the  clergy  knew  no  bounds.  The  cardinal 
of  Lorraine  rewarded  the  messenger  with  a  thousand  crowns; 
the  cannon  of  St.  Angelo  thundered  forth  a  joyous  salute; 
the  bells  rang  out  from  every  steeple;  bonfires  turned  night 
into  day;  and  Gregory  XIII.,  attended  by  the  cardinals  and 
other  ecclesiastical  dignitaries,  w^ent  in  long  procession  to 
the  church  of  St.  Louis,  where  the  cardinal  of  Lorraine 
chanted  a  Te  Deum.  ...  A  medal  was  struck  to  com- 
memorate the  massacre,  and  in  the  Vatican  may  still  be 
seen  three  frescoes  of  Vasari,  describing  the  attack  upon 
the  admiral,  the  king  in  council  plotting  the  massacre,  and 
the  massacre  itself.  Gregory  sent  Charles  the  Golden  Rose; 
and  four  months  after  the  massacre,  ...  he  listened  com- 
jilacently  to  the  sermon  of  a  French  priest,  .  .  .  who  spoke 
of  'that  day  so  full  of  happiness  and  joy,  when  the  most 
holy  father  received  the  news,  and  went  in  solemn  state  to 
render  thanks  to  God  and  St.  Louis.'  '" 

The  same  master-spirit  that  urged  on  the  St.  Bartholo- 
mew Massacre  led  also  in  the  scenes  of  the  Revolution. 
Jesus  Christ  was  declared  to  be  an  impostor,  and  the  rally- 
ing cry  of  the  French  infidels  was,  "Crush  the  Wretch," 
meaning  Christ.  Heaven-daring  blasphemy  and  abominable 
wickedness  went  hand  in  hand,  and  the  basest  of  men,  the 
most  abandoned  monsters  of  cruelty  and  vice,  were  most 
highly  exalted.  In  all  this,  supreme  homage  was  paid  to 
Satan;  while  Christ,  in  His  characteristics  of  truth,  purity, 
and  unselfish  love,  was  crucified. 

"The  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall 
make  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill 
them."  The  atheistical  power  that  ruled  in  France  during 
the  Revolution  and  the  Reign  of  Terror,  did  wage  such  a 
war  against  God  and  His  holy  word  as  the  world  had 
never  witnessed.  The  worship  of  the  Deity  was  abolished 
by  the  National  Assembly.  Bibles  were  collected  and  pub- 
licly   burned   with    every    possible    manifestation    of    scorn. 

-  'White,  Henry,  "The  Massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew," 

ch.  14,  par.  34  (ed.  1871). 


274  ■     THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  law  of  God  was  trampled  under  foot.  The  institutions 
of  the  Bible  were  abolished.  The  weekly  rest-day  was  set 
aside,  and  in  its  stead  eveiy  tenth  day  was  devoted  to 
reveling  and  blasphemy.  Baptism  and  the  communion  were 
prohibited.  And  announcements  posted  conspicuously  over 
the  burial-places  declared  death  to  be  an  eternal  sleep. 

The  fear  of  God  v/as  said  to  be  so  far  from  the  beginning 
of  wisdom  that  it  was  the  beginning  of  folly.  All  religious 
worship  was  prohibited,  except  that  of  liberty  and  the 
country.  The  "constitutional  bishop  of  Paris  was  brought 
forward  to  play  the  principal  part  in  the  most  impudent 
and  scandalous  farce  ever  acted  in  the  face  of  a  national 
representation.  .  .  .  He  was  brought  forward  in  full  pro- 
cession, to  declare  to  the  Convention  that  the  religion  which 
he  had  taught  so  many  years  was,  in  every  respect,  a  piece 
of  priestcraft,  which  had  no  foundation  either  in  history  or 
eacred  truth.  He  disowned,  in  solemn  and  explicit  terms, 
the  existence  of  the  Deity  to  whose  worship  he  had  been 
consecrated,  and  devoted  himself  in  future  to  the  homage  of 
liberty,  equality,  virtue,  and  morality.  He  then  laid  on  the 
table  his  episcopal  decorations,  and  received  a  fraternal 
embrace  from  the  president  of  the  Convention.  Several 
apostate  priests  followed  the  example  of  this  prelate. ' ' ' 

"And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over 
them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another; 
because  these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on 
the  earth."  Infidel  France  had  silenced  the  reproving  voice 
of  God's  two  witnesses.  The  Word  of  truth  lay  dead  in 
her  streets,  and  those  who  hated  the  restrictions  and  require- 
ments of  God's  law  were  jubilant.  Men  publicly  defied 
the  King  of  heaven.  Like  the  sinners  of  old,  they  cried, 
"How  doth  God  know?  and  is  there  knowledge  in  the  Most 
High?"* 

With  blasphemous  boldness  almost  beyond  belief,  one  of 

the  priests  of  the  new  order  said :  ' '  God,  if  You  exist,  avenge 

Your   injured   name.      I    bid   You    defiance!     You   remain 

silent;   You   dare  not   launch   Your   thunders.     Who   after 

'Scott,  Vol,  I,  cb,  J7.  *P8.  73:11. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      275 

this  will  believe  in  Your  existence  ? " '  What  an  echo  is  this 
of  the  Pharaoh's  demand:  "Who  is  Jehovah,  that  I  should 
obey  His  voice?"     "I  know  not  Jehovah!" 

' '  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God. ' '  * 
And  the  Lord  declares  concerning  the  perverters  of  the 
truth,  ' '  Their  folly  shall  be  manifest  unto  all. ' ' '  After 
France  had  renounced  the  worship  of  the  living  God,  "the 
high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,"  it  was  only 
a  little  time  till  she  descended  to  degrading  idolatry,  by 
the  worship  of  the  Goddess  of  Reason,  in  the  person  of  a 
profligate  woman.  And  this  in  the  representative  assembly 
of  the  nation,  and  by  its  highest  civil  and  legislative  authori- 
ties !  Says  the  historian :  ' '  One  of  the  ceremonies  of  this 
insane  time  stands  unrivaled  for  absurdity  combined  with 
impiety.  The  doors  of  the  Convention  were  thrown  open  to 
a  band  of  musicians,  preceded  by  whom,  the  members  of  the 
municipal  body  entered  in  solemn  procession,  singing  a 
hymn  in  praise  of  liberty,  and  escorting,  as  the  object  of 
their  future  worship,  a  veiled  female,  whom  they  termed 
the  Goddess  of  Reason.  Being  brought  within  the  bar,  she 
was  unveiled  with  great  form,  and  placed  on  the  right  of 
the  president,  when  she  was  generally  recognized  as  a  danc- 
ing girl  of  the  opera.  ...  To  this  person,  as  the  fittest 
representative  of  that  reason  whom  they  worshiped,  the 
National  Convention  of  France  rendered  public  homage. 

"This  impious  and  ridiculous  mummery  had  a  certain 
fashion;  and  the  installation  of  the  Goddess  of  Reason  was 
renewed  and  imitated  throughout  the  nation,  in  such  places 
where  the  inhabitants  desired  to  shovv  themselves  equal  to 
all  the  heights  of  the  Revolution, ' '  * 

Said  the  orator  who  introduced  the  worship  of  Reason: 
"Legislators!  Fanaticism  has  given  way  to  reason.  Its 
bleared  eyes  could  not  endure  the  brilliancy  of  the  light. 
This  day  an  immense  concourse  has  assembled  beneath  those 
gothic  vaults,  which,  for  the  first  time,  re-echoed  the  truth. 

^Lacretelle's  "History,"  Vol,  XI,  p.  309;  in  Alison's  "History 

of  Europe,"  Vol.  I,  eh.  10, 

« Pa.  14:1.  "2  Tim.  3:9.  ♦  Seott,  Vol.  I,  cb,  17. 


276  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY  vVa   Ati'i; 

There  the  French  have  celebrated  the  only  true  worship,— 
that  of  Liberty,  that  of  Reason.  There  we  have  formed 
wishes  for  the  prosperity  of  the  arms  of  the  Republic. 
There  we  have  abandoned  inanimate  idols  for  Reason,  for 
that  animated  image,  the  masterpiece  of  nature."' 

When  the  goddess  was  brought  into  the  Convention,  the 
orator  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  turning  to  the  assembly 
said:  "Mortals,  cease  to  tremble  before  the  powerless  thun- 
ders of  a  God  whom  your  fears  have  created.  Henceforth 
acknowledge  no  divinity  but  Reason.  I  offer  you  its  noblest 
and  purest  image;  if  you  must  have  idols,  sacrifice  only  to 
such  as  this.  .  .  .  Fall  before  the  august  Senate  of  Free- 
dom, oh!  Veil  of  Reason!    ... 

' '  The  goddess,  after  being  embraced  by  the  president,  was 
mounted  on  a  magnificent  ear,  and  conducted,  amid  an 
immense  crowd,  to  the  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame,  to  take 
the  place  of  the  Deity.  There  she  was  elevated  on  the  high 
altar,  and  received  the  adoration  of  all  present."* 

This  was  followed,  not  long  afterward,  by  the  public 
burning  of  the  Bil)le.  On  one  occasion  ''the  Popular  So- 
ciety of  the  Museum"  entered  the  hall  of  the  municipality, 
exclaiming,  "Vive  la  Raison!"  and  carrying  on  the  top  of 
a  pole  the  half-burned  remains  of  several  books,  among 
others  breviaries,  missals,  and  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, wliieh  "expiated  in  a  great  fire,"  said  the  president, 
"all  the  fooleries  which  they  have  made  the  lumian  race 
commit."* 

It  was  popery  that  had  begun  the  work  which  atheism  was 
completing.  The  policy  of  Rome  had  wrought  out  those  corv- 
ditions,  social,  political,  and  religious,  that  were  hurrying 
France  on  to  ruin.  Writers,  in  referring  to  the  horrors  ot 
the  Revolution,  say  that  these  excesses  are  to  be  charged 
upon  the  throne  and  the  church.*  In  strict  justice  they  are 
to  be  charged  upon  the  church.     Popery  had  poisoned  the 

»  Thiers, M.  A.,  "History  of  the  French  Revolution, "  Vol.  II,  pp.  370,  371. 

*  Alison,  Vol.  T,  ch.  10.  ^Journal  of  Paris,  1793,  No.  318.     Quoted 

in  Buchez-Roux's  collection  of  Parliamentary  History,  Vol.  XXX, 

pp.  200,  201.  *  See  Appendix. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION     277 

minds  of  kings  against  the  Reformation,  as  an  enemy  to 
the  crown,  an  element  of  discord  that  would  be  fatal  to 
the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  nation.  It  was  the  genius 
of  Rome  that  by  this  means  inspired  the  direst  cruelty 
and  the  most  galling  oppression  which  proceeded  from  the 
throne. 

The  spirit  of  liberty  went  with  the  Bible.  Wherever 
the  gospel  was  received,  the  minds  of  the  people  were 
awakened.  They  began  to  cast  off  the  shackles  that  had 
held  them  bond-slaves  of  ignorance,  vice,  and  superstition. 
They  began  to  think  and  act  as  men.  ]\Ionarchs  saw  it, 
and  trembled  for  their  despotism. 

Rome  was  not  slow  to  inflame  their  jealous  fears.  Said 
the  pope  to  the  regent  of  France  in  1525:  "This  mania 
[Protestantism]  will  not  only  confound  and  destroy  religion, 
but  all  principalities,  nobility,  laws,  orders,  and  ranks  be- 
sides. "  '  A  few  years  later  a  papal  nuncio  warned  the  king : 
"Sire,  be  not  deceived.  The  Protestants  will  upset  all  civil 
as  well  as  religious  order.  .  .  .  The  throne  is  in  as  much 
danger  as  the  altar.  .  .  .  The  introduction  of  a  new 
religion  must  necessarily  introduce  a  new  government. ' ' ' 
And  theologians  appealed  to  the  prejudices  of  the  people 
by  declaring  that  the  Protestant  doctrine  "entices  men 
away  to  novelties  and  folly;  it  robs  the  king  of  the  de- 
voted affection  of  his  subjects,  and  devastates  both  church 
and  state."  Thus  Rome  succeeded  in  arraying  France 
against  the  Reformation.  "It  was  to  uphold  the  throne, 
preserve  the  nobles,  and  maintain  the  laws,  that  the  sword 
of  persecution  was  first  unsheathed  in  France. "  * 

Little  did  the  rulers  of  the  land  foresee  the  results  of  that 
fateful  policy.  The  teaching  of  the  Bible  would  have 
implanted  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  people  those  prin- 
ciples of  justice,  temperance,  truth,  equity,  and  benevolence 
which  are  the  very  corner-stone  of  a  nation's  prosperity, 
"Righteousness  exalteth  a  nation."    Thereby  "the  throne  is 

»  F61ice,  G.  de,  "History  of  the  Protestants  of  France, "  b.  1,  ch.  2,  par.  8. 

'D'Aubign6,   "History  of  the  Reformation  in  the   Time   of 

Cahin,"  b.  2,  ch.  36.  » Wylie,  b.  13,  cb.  4. 


278  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

established.'"  "The  work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace;" 
and  the  effect,  ' '  quietness  and  assurance  forever. ' '  ^  He 
who  obeys  the  divine  law  will  most  truly  respect  and  obey 
the  laws  of  his  country.  He  who  fears  God  will  honor 
the  king  in  the  exercise  of  all  just  and  legitimate  authority. 
But  unhappy  France  prohibited  the  Bible,  and  banned  its 
disciples.  Century  after  century,  men  of  principle  and  in- 
tegrity, men  of  intellectual  acuteness  and  moral  strength, 
who  had  the  courage  to  avow  their  convictions,  and  the 
faith  to  suffer  for  the  truth, —  for  centuries  these  men  toiled 
as  slaves  in  the  galleys,  perished  at  the  stake,  or  rotted  in 
dungeon  cells.  Thousands  upon  thousands  found  safety  in 
flight;  and  this  continued  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
after  the  opening  of  the  lieformation. 

"Scarcely  was  there  a  generation  of  Frenchmen  during 
that  long  period  that  did  not  A\dtness  the  disciples  of  the 
gospel  fleeing  before  the  insane  fury  of  the  persecutor,  and 
carrying  ^vith  them  the  intelligence,  the  arts,  the  industry, 
the  order,  in  which,  as  a  rule,  they  pre-eminently  excelled, 
to  enrich  the  lands  in  which  they  found  an  asylum.  And 
in  proportion  as  they  replenished  other  countries  with  these 
good  gifts,  did  they  empty  their  own  of  them.  If  all 
that  was  now  driven  away  had  been  retained  in  France; 
if,  during  these  three  hundred  years,  the  industrial  skill 
of  the  exiles  had  been  cultivating  her  soil;  if,  during  these 
three  hundred  years,  their  artistic  bent  had  been  improving 
her  manufactures;  if,  during  these  three  hundred  years, 
their  creative  genius  and  analytic  power  had  been  enriching 
her  literature  and  cultivating  her  science;  if  their  wisdom 
had  been  guiding  her  councils,  their  bravery  fighting  her 
battles,  their  equity  framing  her  laws,  and  the  religion  of 
the  Bible  strengthening  the  intellect  and  governing  the 
conscience  of  her  people,  what  a  glory  would  at  this  day 
have  encompassed  France!  What  a  great,  prosperous,  and 
happy  country  —  a  pattern  to  the  nations  —  would  she 
have  been ! 

»Prov.  14:34-    16:12.  » Isa.  32:17. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      279 

"But  a  blind  and  inexorable  bigotry  chased  from  her  soil 
every  teacher  of  virtue,  every  champion  of  order,  every  hon- 
est defender  of  the  throne;  it  said  to  the  men  who  would 
have  made  their  country  a  'renown  and  glory'  in  the  earth, 
Choose  which  you  will  have,  a  stake  or  exile.  At  last  the 
ruin  of  the  state  was  complete ;  there  remained  no  more 
conscience  to  Ve  proscribed;  no  more  religion  to  be  dragged 
to  the  stake ;  no  more  patriotism  to  be  chased  into  banish- 
ment. ' '  ^  And  the  Revolution,  with  all  its  horrors,  was  the 
dire  result. 

"With  the  flight  of  the  Huguenots  a  general  decline  set- 
tled upon  France.  Flourishing  manufacturing  cities  fell 
into  decay;  fertile  districts  returned  to  their  native  wild- 
ness;  intellectual  dulness  and  moral  declension  succeeded 
a  period  of  unwonted  progress.  Paris  became  one  vast 
almshouse,  and  it  is  estimated  that,  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Revolution,  two  hundred  thousand  paupers  claimed 
charity  from  the  hands  of  the  king.  The  Jesuits  alone 
flourished  in  the  decaying  nation,  and  ruled  with  dreadful 
tyranny  over  churches  and  schools,  the  prisons  and  the 
galleys. " 

The  gospel  would  have  brought  to  France  the  solution  of 
those  political  and  social  problems  that  baffled  the  skill  of 
her  clergy,  her  king,  and  her  legislators,  and  finally  plunged 
the  nation  into  anarchy  and  ruin.  But  under  the  domina- 
tion of  Rome  the  people  had  lost  the  Saviour's  blessed  les- 
sons of  self-sacrifice  and  unselfish  love.  They  had  been  led 
away  from  the  practice  of  self-denial  for  the  good  of  others. 
The  rich  had  found  no  rebuke  for  their  oppression  of  the 
poor,  the  poor  no  help  for  their  servitude  and  degradation. 
The  selfishness  of  the  Avealthy  and  powerful  grew  more  and 
more  apparent  and  oppressive.  For  centuries  the  greed 
and  profligacy  of  ithe  noble  resulted  in  grinding  extortion 
toward  the  peasant.  The  rich  wronged  the  poor,  and  the 
poor  hated  the  rich. 

In  many  provinces  the  estates  were  held  by  the  nobles, 
and  the  laboring  classes  were  only  tenants;  they  were  at  the 
>WyHe,  b.  13,  ch.  20. 


280  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

mercy  of  their  landlords,  and  were  forced  to  submit  to 
their  exorbitant  demands.  The  burden  of  supporting  both 
the  church  and  the  state  fell  upon  the  middle  and  lower 
classes,  who  were  heavily  taxed  by  the  civil  authorities  and 
by  the  clergy.  "The  pleasure  of  the  nobles  was  considered 
the  supreme  law;  the  farmers  and  the  peasants  might  starve, 
for  aught  their  oppressors  cared.  .  .  .  The  people  were 
compelled  at  every  turn  to  consult  the  exclusive  interest  of 
the  landlord.  The  lives  of  the  agricultural  laborers  were 
lives  of  incessant  work  and  unrelieved  misery;  their  com- 
plaints, if  they  ever  dared  to  complain,  were  treated  with 
insolent  contempt.  The  courts  of  justice  would  always  listen 
to  a  noble  as  against  a  peasant ;  bribes  were  notoriously 
accepted  by  the  judges;  and  the  merest  caprice  of  the  aris- 
tocracy had  the  force  of  law,  by  virtue  of  this  system 
of  universal  corruption.  Of  the  taxes  wrung  from  the 
commonalty,  by  the  secular  magnates  on  the  one  hand,  and 
the  clergy  on  the  other,  not  half  ever  found  its  way  into 
the  royal  or  episcopal  treasury;  the  rest  was  sciuandered  in 
profligate  self-indulgence.  And  the  men  who  thus  impov- 
erished their  fellovv-subjocts  were  themselves  exempt  from 
taxation,  and  entitled  by  law  or  custom  to  all  the  appoint- 
ments of  the  state.  The  privileged  classes  numbered  a 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  and  for  their  gratification 
millions  were  condemned  to  hopeless  and  degrading  lives. ' ' ' 
The  court  was  given  up  to  luxury  and  profligacy.  There 
was  little  confidence  existing  between  the  people  and  the 
rulers.  Suspicion  fastened  upon  all  the  measures  of  the 
government,  as  designing  and  selfish.  For  more  than  half 
a  century  before  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  the  throne  was 
occupied  by  Louis  XV.,  who,  even  in  those  evil  times,  was 
distinguished  as  an  indolent,  frivolous,  and  sensual  monarch. 
With  a  depraved  and  cruel  aristocracy  and  an  impoverished 
and  ignorant  lower  class,  the  state  financially  embarrassed, 
and  the  people  exasperated,  it  needed  no  prophet's  eye  to 
foresee  a  terrible  impending  outbreak.  To  the  warnings  of 
his  counselors  the  king  was  accustomed  to  reply,  "Try  to 
*  See  Appendix. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      281 

make  things  go  on  as  long  as  I  am  likely  to  live;  after  my 
death  it  may  be  as  it  will."  It  was  in  vain  that  the  neces- 
sity of  reform  was  urged.  He  saw  the  evils,  but  had  neither 
the  courage  nor  the  power  to  meet  them.  The  doom  await- 
ing France  was  but  too  truly  pictured  in  his  indolent  and 
selfish  answer, — "After  me,  the  deluge!" 

By  working  upon  the  jealousy  of  the  kings  and  the  rul- 
ing classes,  Rome  had  influenced  them  to  keep  the  people  in 
bondage,  well  knowing  that  the  state  would  thus  be  weak- 
ened, and  purposing  by  this  means  to  fasten  both  rulers  and 
people  in  her  thrall.  With  far-sighted  policy  she  perceived 
that  in  order  to  enslave  men  effectually,  the  shackles  must  be 
bound  upon  their  souls;  that  the  surest  way  to  prevent  them 
from  escaping  their  bondage  was  to  render  them  incapable 
of  freedom.  A  thousandfold  more  terrible  than  the  physical 
suffering  which  resulted  from  lier  policy,  was  the  moral  deg- 
radation. Deprived  of  the  Bible,  and  abandoned  to  the 
teacliings  of  bigotry  and  sellishness,  the  people  were  shrouded 
in  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  sunken  in  vice,  so  that 
they  were  wholly  unfitted  for  self-government. 

But  the  outworking  of  all  this  was  widely  different  from 
what  Rome  had  purposed.  Instead  of  holding  the  masses  in 
a  blind  submission  to  her  dogmas,  her  work  resulted  in 
making  them  infidels  and  revolutionists.  Romanism  they 
despised  as  priestcraft.  They  beheld  the  clergy  as  a  party  to 
their  oppression.  The  only  god  they  knew  was  the  god  of 
Rome;  her  teaching  was  their  only  religion.  They  regarded 
her  greed  and  cruelty  as  the  legitimate  fruit  of  the  Bible, 
and  they  would  have  none  of  it. 

Rome  had  misrepresented  the  character  of  God,  and  per- 
verted His  requirements,  and  now  men  rejected  botli  the 
Bible  and  its  Author.  She  had  retiuired  a  blind  faith  in  her 
dogmas,  under  the  pretended  sanction  of  the  Scriptures.  In 
the  reaction,  Voltaire  and  his  associates  cast  aside  God's  word 
altogether,  and  spread  everywhere  the  poison  of  infidelity. 
Rome  had  ground  down  the  people  under  her  iron  heel;  and 
now  the  masses,  degraded  and  brutalized,  in  their  recoil  from 


282  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

her  tyranny,  cast  off  all  restraint.  Enraged  at  the  glitter- 
ing cheat  to  which  they  had  so  long  paid  homage,  they  re- 
jected truth  and  falsehood  together ;  and  mistaking  license  for 
liberty,  the  slaves  of  vice  exulted  in  their  imagined  freedom. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Revolution,  by  a  concession  of  the 
king,  the  people  were  granted  a  representation  exceeding 
that  of  the  nobles  and  the  clergy  combined.  Thus  the  bal- 
ance of  power  was  in  their  hands;  but  they  were  not  pre- 
pared to  use  it  witli  wisdom  and  moderation.  Eager  to 
redress  the  wrongs  they  had  suffered,  they  determined  to 
undertake  the  reconstruction  of  society.  An  outraged  popu- 
lace, whose  minds  were  filled  with  bitter  and  long-treasured 
memories  of  wrong,  resolved  to  revolutionize  the  state  of 
misery  that  had  grown  unbearable,  and  to  revenge  them- 
selves upon  those  whom  they  regarded  as  the  authors  of 
their  sufferings.  The  oppressed  wrought  out  the  lesson  they 
had  learned  under  tyranny,  and  became  the  oppressors  of 
those  who  had  oppressed  them. 

Unhappy  France  reaped  in  blood  the  harvest  slie  had 
sown.  Terrible  were  the  results  of  her  sul)mission  to  the 
controlling  power  of  Rome.  "Where  France,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Romanism,  had  set  up  the  first  stake  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  Reformation,  there  the  Revolution  set  up  its  first 
guillotine.  On  the  very  spot  where  the  first  martyrs  to  the 
Protestant  faith  were  burned  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
first  victims  were  guillotined  in  the  eighteenth.  In  repell- 
ing the  gospel,  which  would  have  brought  her  healing, 
France  had  opened  the  door  to  infidelity  and  ruin.  When 
the  restraints  of  God's  law  were  cast  aside,  it  was  found 
that  the  laws  of  man  were  inadequate  to  hold  in  check  the 
powerful  tides  of  liuman  passion;  and  the  nation  swept  on 
to  revolt  and  anarchy.  The  war  against  the  Bible  inaug- 
urated an  era  which  stands  in  the  world's  history  as  "The 
Reign  of  Terror."  Peace  and  happiness  were  banished  from 
the  homes  and  hearts  of  men.  No  one  was  secure.  He  who 
triumphed  to-day  was  suspected,  condemned,  to-morrow. 
Violence  and  lust  held  undisputed  sway. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      283 

King,  clergy,  and  nobles  were  compelled  to  submit  to  the 
atrocities  of  an  excited  and  maddened  people.  Their  thirst 
for  vengeance  was  only  stimulated  by  the  execution  of  the 
king;  and  those  who  had  decreed  his  death,  soon  followed 
him  to  the  scaffold.  A  general  slaughter  of  all  suspected 
of  hostility  to  the  Revolution  was  determined.  The  prisons 
were  crowded,  at  one  time  containing  more  than  two  hun- 
dred thousand  captives.  The  cities  of  the  kingdom  were 
filled  with  scenes  of  horror.  One  party  of  revolutionists  was 
against  another  party,  and  France  became  a  vast  field  for 
contending  masses,  swayed  by  the  fury  of  their  passions. 
"In  Paris  one  tumult  succeeded  another,  and  the  citizens 
were  divided  into  a  medley  of  factions,  that  seemed  intent 
on  nothing  but  mutual  extermination."  And  to  add  to  the 
general  misery,  the  nation  became  involved  in  a  prolonged 
and  devastating  war  with  the  great  powers  of  Europe. 
"The  country  was  nearly  bankrupt,  the  armies  were  clam- 
oring for  arrears  of  pay,  the  Parisians  were  starving,  the 
provinces  were  laid  waste  by  brigands,  and  civilization  was 
almost  extinguished  in  anarchy  and  license." 

All  too  well  the  people  had  learned  the  lessons  of  cruelty 
and  torture  which  Rome  had  so  diligently  taught.  A  day 
of  retribution  at  last  had  come.  It  was  not  now  the  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  that  were  thrust  into  dungeons  and  dragged 
to  the  stake.  Long  ago  these  had  perished  or  been  driven 
into  exile.  Unsparing  Rome  now  felt  the  deadly  power  of 
those  whom  she  had  trained  to  delight  in  deeds  of  blood. 
"The  example  of  persecution  which  the  clergy  of  France 
had  exhibited  for  so  many  ages,  was  now  retorted  upon 
thera  with  signal  vigor.  The  scaffolds  ran  red  with  the 
blood  of  the  priests.  The  galleys  and  the  prisons,  once 
crowded  wnth  Huguenots,  were  now  filled  \nth  their  per- 
secutors. Chained  to  the  bench  and  toiling  at  the  oar, 
the  Roman  Catholic  clergy  experienced  all  those  woes 
which  their  church  had  so  freely  inflicted  on  the  gentle 
heretics. ' '  * 

*See  Appendix. 


284  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"Then  came  those  days  wlien  the  most  barbarous  of  all 
codes  was  administered  by  the  most  barbarous  of  all  tribu- 
nals; when  no  man  could  greet  his  neighbors  or  say  his 
prayers  .  .  .  without  danger  of  committing  a  capital  crime; 
when  spies  lurked  in  every  corner;  when  the  guillotine  was 
long  and  hard  at  work  every  morning;  when  the  jails  were 
filled  as  close  as  the  holds  of  a  slave-ship ;  when  the  gut- 
ters ran  foaming  with  blood  into  the  Seine.  .  .  .  While 
the  daily  Avagon-loads  of  victims  were  carried  to  their  doom 
through  the  streets  of  Paris,  the  proconsuls,  whom  the 
sovereign  committee  had  sent  forth  to  the  departments, 
reveled  in  an  extravagance  of  cruelty  unknown  even  in  the 
capital.  The  knife  of  the  deadly  machine  rose  and  fell  too 
slow  for  their  work  of  slaughter.  Long  rows  of  captives 
were  mowed  doA^^l  with  grape-shot.  Holes  were  made  in 
the  l)Ottom  of  crowded  barges.  Lyons  was  turned  into  a 
desert.  At  Arras  even  the  cruel  mercy  of  a  speedy  death 
was  denied  to  the  prisoners.  All  down  the  Loire,  from 
Saumur  to  the  sea,  great  flocks  of  crows  and  kites  feasted  on 
naked  corpses,  twined  together  in  hideous  embraces.  No 
mercy  was  shown  to  sex  or  age.  The  number  of  young 
lads  and  of  girls  of  seventeen  who  were  murdered  by  that 
execrable  government,  is  to  be  reckoned  by  hundreds.  Babies 
torn  from  the  breast  were  tossed  from  pike  to  pike  along 
the  Jacobin  ranks."'  In  the  short  space  of  ten  years,  mul- 
titudes of  human  beings  perished. 

All  this  was  as  Satan  would  have  it.  This  was  what  for 
ages  he  had  been  working  to  secure.  His  policy  is  deception 
from  first  to  last,  and  his  steadfast  purpose  is  to  bring  woe 
and  wretchedness  upon  men,  to  deface  and  defile  the  work- 
manship of  God,  to  mar  the  divine  purposes  of  benevolence 
and  love,  and  thus  cause  grief  in  heaven.  Then  by  his 
deceptive  arts  he  blinds  the  minds  of  men,  and  leads  them  to 
throw  back  the  blame  of  his  work  upon  God,  as  if  all  this 
miseiy  were  the  result  of  the  Creator's  plan.  In  like 
manner,  when  those  w^ho  have  been  degraded  and  brutalized 
*See  Appendix. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION      285 

through '  his  cruel  power  achieve  their  freedom,  he  urges 
them  on  to  excesses  and  atrocities.  Then  this  picture  of 
unbridled  license  is  pointed  out  by  tyrants  and  oppressors 
as  an  illustration  of  the  results  of  liberty. 

When  error  in  one  garb  has  been  detected,  Satan  only 
masks  it  in  a  different  disguise,  and  multitudes  receive  it  as 
eagerly  as  at  the  first.  When  the  people  found  Romanism 
to  be  a  deception,  and  he  could  not  through  this  agency 
lead  them  to  transgression  of  God's  law,  he  urged  them  to 
regard  all  religion  as  a  cheat,  and  the  Bible  a  fable;  and 
casting  aside  the  divine  statutes,  they  gave  themselves  up  to 
unbridled  iniquity. 

The  fatal  error  which  wrought  such  woe  for  the  inhab- 
itants of  France  was  the  ignoring  of  this  one  great  truth: 
that  true  freedom  lies  within  the  proscriptions  of  the  law  of 
God.  "0  that  thou  hadst  hearkened  to  My  command- 
ments! then  had  thy  peace  been  as  a  river,  and  thy  right- 
eousness as  the  w^aves  of  the  sea."  "There  is  no  peace, 
saith  the  Lord,  unto  the  wicked."  "But  whoso  hearkeneth 
unto  i\Ie  shall  dwell  safely,  and  shall  be  quiet  from  fear 
of  evil."' 

Atheists,  infidels,  and  apostates  oppose  and  denounce 
God's  law;  but  the  results  of  their  influence  prove  that  the 
well-being  of  man  is  bound  up  with  his  obedience  of  the 
divine  statutes.  Those  who  will  not  read  the  lesson  from 
the  book  of  God,  are  bidden  to  read  it  in  the  history  of 
nations. 

When  Satan  wrought  through  the  Roman  Church  to 
lea.d  men  away  from  obedience,  his  agency  was  concealed, 
and  his  work  was  so  disguised  that  the  degradation  and 
misery  which  resulted  were  not  seen  to  be  the  fruit  of  trans- 
gression. And  his  power  was  so  far  counteracted  by  the 
working  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  his  purposes  were  pre- 
vented from  reaching  their  full  fruition.  The  people  did 
not  trace  the  effect  to  its  cause,  and  discover  the  source 
of  their  miseries.     But  in  the  Revolution,  the  law  of  God 

»Isa.  48:18,  22;  Prov.  1:33. 


286  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

was  openly  set  aside  by  the  National  Council.  And  in  the 
Reign  of  Terror  which  followed,  the  working  of  cause  and 
effect  could  be  seen  by  all. 

When  France  publicly  rejected  God  and  set  aside  the 
Bible,  wicked  men  and  spirits  of  darkness  exulted  in  their 
attainment  of  the  object  so  long  desired, —  a  kingdom  free 
from  the  restraints  of  the  law  of  God.  Because  sentence 
against  an  evil  work  was  not  speedily  executed,  therefore 
the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  was  "fully  set  in  them  to  do 
evil."'  But  the  transgression  of  a  just  and  righteous  law 
must  inevitably  result  in  misery  and  ruin.  Though  not 
visited  at  once  with  judgments,  the  wickedness  of  men  was 
nevertheless  surely  working  out  their  doom.  Centuries  of 
apostasy  and  crime  had  been  treasuring  up  wrath  against 
the  day  of  retribution;  and  when  their  iniquity  was  full, 
the  despisers  of  God  learned  too  late  that  it  is  a  fearful 
thing  to  have  Avorn  out  the  divine  patience.  The  restrain- 
ing Spirit  of  God,  which  imposes  a  check  upon  the  cruel 
power  of  Satan,  was  in  a  great  measure  removed,  and  he 
whose  only  delight  is  the  wretchedness  of  men,  was  per- 
mitted to  work  his  will.  Those  who  had  chosen  the  service 
of  rebellion,  were  left  to  reap  its  fruits,  until  the  land  was 
filled  with  crimes  too  horrible  for  pen  to  trace.  From 
devastated  provinces  and  ruined  cities  a  terrible  cry  was 
heard, —  a  cry  of  bitterest  anguish.  France  was  shaken  as 
if  by  an  earthquake.  Religion,  law,  social  order,  the  fam- 
ily, the  state,  and  the  church, —  all  were  smitten  down  by 
the  impious  hand  that  had  been  lifted  against  the  law  of 
God.  Truly  spake  the  wise  man :  ' '  The  wicked  shall  fall 
by  his  own  wickedness."  "Though  a  sinner  do  evil  a 
hundred  times,  and  his  days  be  prolonged,  yet  surely  I  know 
that  it  shall  be  well  with  them  that  fear  God,  which  fear 
before  Him :  but  it  shall  not  be  well  with  the  wicked. ' ' ' 
"They  hated  knowledge,  and  did  not  choose  the  fear  of  the 
Lord;"  "therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of  their  own 
way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own  devices.  * ' ' 

'Eccl.  8:11-13.  »Prov.  1:29,  31. 


THE  BIBLE  AND   THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION     287 

God's  faithful  witnesses,  slain  by  the  blasphemous  power 
that  "ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,"  were  not  long 
to  remain  silent.  "After  three  days  and  a  half  the  Spirit 
of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood  upon 
their  feet ;  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw  them. ' ' ' 
It  was  in  1793  that  the  decrees  which  abolished  the  Christian 
religion  and  set  aside  the  Bible,  passed  the  French  Assembly. 
Three  years  and  a  half  later  a  resolution  rescinding  these  de- 
crees, thus  granting  toleration  to  the  Scriptures,  was  adopted 
by  the  same  body.  The  world  stood  aghast  at  the  enormity 
of  guilt  which  had  resulted  from  a  rejection  of  the  Sacred 
Oracles,  and  men  recognized  the  necessity  of  faith  in  God 
and  His  word  as  the  foundation  of  virtue  and  morality.  Saith 
the  Lord,  "Whom  hast  thou  reproached  and  blasphemed? 
and  against  whom  hast  thou  exalted  thy  voice,  and  lifted  up 
thine  eyes  on  high  ?  even  against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. ' ' ' 
"Therefore,  behold,  I  will  this  once  cause  them  to  know, 
T  will  cause  them  to  know  Mine  hand  and  My  might;  and 
they  shall  know  that  My  name  is  Jehovah. ' '  ^ 

Concerning  the  two  witnesses,  the  prophet  declares 
further:  "And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven  say- 
ing unto  them.  Come  up  hither.  And  they  ascended  up 
to  heaven  in  a  cloud ;  and  their  enemies  beheld  them. ' '  * 
Since  France  made  war  upon  God's  two  wdtnesses,  they  have 
been  honored  as  never  before.  In  1804  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  was  organized.  This  was  followed 
by  similar  organizations,  with  numerous  branches,  upon  the 
continent  of  Europe.  In  1816  the  American  Bible  Society 
was  founded.  When  the  British  Society  was  formed,  the 
Bible  had  been  printed  and  circulated  in  fifty  tongues.  It 
has  since  been  translated  into  more  than  four  hundred  lan- 
guages and  dialects." 

For  the  fifty  years  preceding  1792,  little  attention  was 
given  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions.  No  new  societies 
were  formed,  and  there  were  but  few  churches  that  made 

'Rev.  11:11.  'Isa.  37:23.  '  Jer.  16:21. 

•Rev.  11:12.  "See  Appendix. 


288  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

any  effort  foir  the  spread  of  Christianity  in  heathen  lands. 
But  toward  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  a  great 
change  took  place.  Men  became  dissatisfied  with  the  results 
of  rationalism,  and  realized  the  necessity  of  divine  revela- 
tion and  experimental  religion.  From  this  time  the  work  of 
foreign  missions  attained  an  unprecedented  growth. ' 

The  improvements  in  printing  have  given  an  impetus 
to  the  work  of  circulating  the  Bible.  The  increased  facilities 
for  communication  between  different  countries,  the  breaking 
dowTi  of  ancient  barriers  of  prejudice  and  national  exclu- 
siveness,  and  the  loss  of  secular  power  by  the  pontiff  of 
Rome,  linve  opened  the  way  for  the  entrance  of  the  word 
of  God.  For  some  years  the  Bible  has  been  sold  \vithout  re- 
straint in  the  streets  of  Rome,  and  it  has  now  been  carried 
to  every  part  of  the  habitable  globe. 

The  infidel  Voltaire  once  boastingly  said:  "I  am  weary 
of  hearing  people  repeat  that  twelve  men  established  the 
Christian  religion.  I  will  prove  that  one  man  may  suffice 
to  overthrow  it."  A  century  has  passed  since  his  death. 
Millions  have  joined  in 'the  war  upon  the  Bible.  But  it  is 
so  far  from  being  destroyed,  that  where  there  were  a 
hundred  in  Voltaire's  time,  there  are  now  ten  thousand,  yes, 
a  hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  Book  of  God.  In  the 
words  of  an  early  Reformer  concerning  the  Christian  church, 
"The  Bible  is  an  anvil  that  has  worn  out  many  hammers." 
Saith  the  Lord,  "No  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee 
shall  prosper;  and  every  tongue  that  shall  rise  against  thee 
in  judgment  thou  shalt  condemn.""' 

"The  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  forever."  "All  His 
commandments  are  sure.  They  stand  fast  forever  and  ever, 
and  are  done  in  truth  and  uprightness." '  Whatever  is  built 
upon  the  authority  of  man  will  be  overthrown;  but  that 
which  is  founded  upon  the  rock  of  God's  immutable  word 
shall  stand  forever. 

^  See  Appendix.  *Isa.  54:17.  »Isa.  40:8;  Ps.  111:7,  8. 


THE   PILGRIM    FATHERS~16 

The  English  Reformers,  while  renouncing  the  doctrines 
of  Romanism,  had  retained  many  of  its  forms.  Thus 
though  the  authority  and  the  creed  of  Rome  were  rejected, 
not  a  few  of  her  customs  and  ceremonies  were  incorporated 
into  the  worship  of  the  Church  of  England.  It  was  claimed 
that  these  things  were  not  matters  of  conscience;  that 
though  they  were  not  commanded  in  Scripture,  and  hence 
were  non-essential,  yet  not  l)eing  forbidden,  they  were  not 
intrinsically  evil.  Their  observance  tended  to  narrow  the 
gulf  which  separated  the  reformed  churches  from  Rome, 
and  it  was  urged  that  they  would  promote  the  acceptance  of 
the  Protestant  faith  by  Romanists. 

To  the  conservative  and  compromising,  these  arguments 
seemed  conclusive.  But  there  was  another  class  that  did 
not  so  judge.  The  fact  that  these  customs  "tended  to 
bridge  over  the  chasm  between  Rome  and  the  Reforma- 
tion,"' was  in  their  view  a  conclusive  argument  against 
retaining  them.  They  looked  upon  them  as  badges  of  the 
slavery  from  which  they  had  been  delivered,  and  to  which 
they  had  no  disposition  to  return.  They  reasoned  that 
Cod  has  in  Ilis  word  esta])lislied  the  regulations  governing 
Ilis  worship,  and  that  men  are  not  at  liberty  to  adtl  to 
these  or  to  detract  from  them.  The  very  beginning  of  the 
great  apostasy  was  in  seeking  to  supplement  the  authority 

'Martjn,  Vol.  V,  o.  22. 

(289*. 
10— (•;.(,'-  ^ 


290  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  God  by  that  of  the  church.  Rome  began  by  enjoining 
what  God  had  not  forbidden,  and  she  ended  by  forbidding 
what  He  had  explicitly  enjoined. 

Many  earnestly  desired  to  return  to  the  purity  and  sim 
plicity  Avhich  characterized  the  primitive  church.  They 
regarded  many  of  the  established  customs  of  the  English 
Church  as  monuments  of  idolatry,  and  they  could  not  in 
conscience  unite  in  her  worship.  But  the  church,  being 
supported  by  the  civil  authority,  would  permit  no  dissent 
from  her  forms.  Attendance  upon  her  service  was  required 
by  law,  and  unauthorized  assemblies  for  religious  worship 
were  prohibited,  under  penalty  of  imprisonment,  exile,  and 
death. 

At  the  opening  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  monarch 
who  had  just  ascended  the  throne  of  England  declared  his 
determination  to  make  the  Puritans  "conform,  or  .  .  . 
harry  them  out  of  the  land,  or  else  worse. ' ' '  Hunted,  per- 
secuted, and  imprisoned,  they  could  discern  in  the  future 
no  promise  of  better  days,  and  many  yielded  to  the  con- 
viction that  for  such  as  would  serve  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  conscience,  "England  v/as  ceasing  forever 
to  be  a  habitable  place.'"'  Some  at  last  determined  to  seek 
refuge  in  Holland.  Difficulties,  losses,  and  imprisonment 
were  encountered.  Their  purposes  were  thwarted,  and  they 
were  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  But  stead- 
fast perseverance  finally  conquered,  and  they  found  shelter 
on  the  friendly  shores  of  the  Dutch  Republic. 

In  their  flight  they  had  left  their  houses,  their  goods,  and 
their  means  of  livelihood.  They  were  strangers  in  a  strange 
land,  among  a  people  of  different  language  and  customs. 
They  were  forced  to  resort  to  new  and  untried  occupations 
to  earn  their  bread.  Middle-aged  men,  who  had  spent  their 
lives  in  tilling  the  soil,  had  now  to  learn  mechanical  trades. 
But  they  cheerfully  accepted  the  situation,  and  lost  no  time 
in  idleness  or  repining.     Though  often  pinched  with  pov- 

*  Bancroft,  George,  "History  of  the  United  States  of  America," 

Part  I,  eh.  12,  par.  6. 

*Palfre7,  J.  G.,  "History  of  New  England,"  ch.  3,  par.  43. 


THE  PILGRIM   FATHERS  291 

erty,  they  thanked  God  for  the  blessings  which  were  still 
granted  them,  and  found  their  joy  in  unmolested  spiritual 
communion.  "They  knew  they  were  pilgrims,  and  looked 
not  much  on  those  things,  but  lifted  up  their  eyes  to 
heaven,  their  dearest  country,  and  quieted  their  spirits. ' '  * 

In  the  midst  of  exile  and  hardship,  their  love  and  faith 
waxed  strong.  They  trusted  the  Lord's  promises,  and  He 
did  not  fail  them  in  time  of  need.  His  angels  were  by  their 
side,  to  encourage  and  support  them.  And  when  God's 
hand  seemed  pointing  them  across  the  sea,  to  a  land  where 
they  might  found  for  themselves  a  state,  and  leave  to  their 
children  the  precious  heritage  of  religious  liberty,  they 
went  forward,  without  shrinking,  in  the  path  of  providence. 

God  had  permitted  trials  to  come  upon  His  people  to  pre- 
pare them  for  the  accomplishment  of  His  gracious  purpose 
toward  them.  The  church  had  been  brought  low,  that  she 
might  be  exalted.  God  was  about  to  display  His  power  in 
her  behalf,  to  give  to  the  world  another  evidence  that  He 
will  not  forsake  those  who  trust  in  Him.  He  had  overruled 
events  to  cause  the  wrath  of  Satan  and  the  plots  of  evil 
men  to  advance  His  glory,  and  to  bring  His  people  to  a 
place  of  security.  Persecution  and  exile  were  opening  the 
way   to   freedom. 

When  first  constrained  to  separate  from  the  English 
Church,  the  Puritans  had  joined  themselves  together  by  a 
solemn  covenant,  as  the  Lord's  free  people,  "to  walk  to- 
gether in  all  His  ways  made  known  or  to  be  made  known 
to  them, ' '  ^  Here  Avas  the  true  spirit  of  reform,  the  vital 
principle  of  Protestantism.  It  was  with  this  purpose  that, 
the  Pilgrims  departed  from  Holland  to  find  a  home  in  the 
New  World.  John  Robinson,  their  pastor,  who  was  provi- 
dentially prevented  from  accompanying  them,  in  his  fare- 
well address  to  the  exiles  said : 

"Brethren,  we  are  now  erelong  to  part  asunder,  and  the 
Lord  knoweth  whether  I  shall  live  ever  to  see  your  faces 
more.     But  whether  the  Lord  hath  appointed  it  or  not,  I 

'  Bancroft,  Part  T,  ch    12,  par.  15. 
*  Brown,  J.,  "The  Pilgrim  Fathers,"  p,  74. 


292  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

charge  you  before  God  and  His  blessed  angels  to  follow 
me  no  farther  than  I  have  followed  Christ.  If  God  should 
reveal  anything  to  you  by  any  other  instrument  of  His,  be 
as  ready  to  receive  it  as  ever  you  were  to  receive  any 
truth  of  my  ministry;  for  I  am  very  confident  the  Lord 
hath  more  truth  and  light  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  His 
holy  word. ' '  * 

"For  my  part,  I  cannot  sufficiently  bewail  the  condi- 
tion of  the  reformed  churches,  who  are  come  to  a  period 
in  religion,  and  will  go  at  present  no  farther  than  the  in- 
struments of  their  reformation.  The  Lutherans  cannot  be 
drawn  to  go  beyond  what  Luther  saw;  .  .  .  and  the  Cal- 
vinists,  you  see,  stick  fast  where  they  were  left  by  that 
great  man  of  God,  who  yet  saw  not  all  things.  This  is  a 
misery  much  to  be  lamented;  for  though  they  Avere  burn- 
ing and  shining  lights  in  their  time,  yet  they  penetrated 
not  into  the  Avhole  counsel  of  God,  but  were  they  now 
li\dng,  would  be  as  willing  to  embrace  further  light  as 
that  which  they  first  received."' 

"Remember  your  church  covenant,  in  which  you  have 
agreed  to  walk  in  all  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  made  or  to  be 
made  known  unto  you.  Remember  your  promise  and  cove- 
nant with  God  and  with  one  another,  to  receive  whatever 
light  and  truth  shall  be  made  known  to  you  from  His 
written  word;  but  withal,  take  heed,  I  beseech  you,  Avhat 
you  receive  for  truth,  and  compare  it  and  weigh  it  with 
other  scriptures  of  truth  before  you  accept  it;  for  it  is 
not  possible  the  Christian  world  should  come  so  lately  out 
of  such  thick  antichristian  darkness,  and  that  full  per- 
fection of  knowledge  should  break  forth  at  once.  "V 

It  was  the  desire  for  liberty  of  conscience  that  inspired 
the  Pilgrims  to  brave  the  perils  of  the  long  journey  across 
the  sea,  to  endure  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  the  wilder- 
ness, and  with  God's  blessing  to  lay,  on  the  shores  of 
America,   the  foundation  of  a  mighty  nation.     Yet  honest 

'  Martyn,  Vol.  V,  p.  70. 

'Neal,  D.,  "History  of  the  Puritans,"  Vol.  I,  p.  269  (two-vol.  ed.  1848). 

3  Martyn,  Vol.  V,  pp.  70,  71. 


THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS  293 

and  God-fearing  as  they  were,  the  Pilgrims  did  not  yet 
comprehend  the  great  principle  of  religious  liberty.  The 
freedom  which  they  sacrificed  so  much  to  secure  for  them- 
selves, they  were  not  equally  ready  to  grant  to  others. 
"Very  few,  even  of  the  foremost  thinkers  and  moralists  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  had  any  just  conception  of  that 
grand  principle,  the  outgrowth  of  the  New  Testament,  which 
acknowledges  God  as  the  sole  judge  of  human  faith."'  The 
doctrine  that  God  has  conmiitted  to  the  church  the  right 
to  control  the  conscience,  and  to  define  and  punish  heresy, 
is  one  of  the  most  deeply  rooted  of  papal  errors.  While  the 
Reformers  rejected  the  creed  of  Rome,  they  were  not  entirely 
free  from  her  spirit  of  intolerance.  The  dense  darkness  in 
which,  through  the  long  ages  of  her  rule,  popery  liad  envel- 
oped all  Christendom,  had  not  even  yet  been  wholly  dissi- 
pated. Said  one  of  the  leading  ministers  in  the  colony  of 
Massachusetts  Bay:  "It  was  toleration  that  made  the  world 
antichristian ;  and  the  church  never  took  harm  by  the  pun- 
ishment of  heretics. ' ' "  The  regulation  was  adopted  by  the 
colonists,  that  only  church-members  should  have  a  voice  in 
the  civil  government.  A  kind  of  state  church  was  formed, 
all  the  people  being  required  to  contribute  to  the  support  of 
the  clergy,  and  the  magistrates  being  authorized  to  suppress 
heresy.  Thus  the  secular  power  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
church.  It  was  not  long  before  these  measures  led  to  the 
iinevitable  result  —  persecution. 

Eleven  years  after  the  planting  of  the  first  colony,  Roger 
Williams  came  to  the  New  World.  Like  the  early  Pilgrims, 
he  came  to  enjoy  religious  freedom;  but  unlike  them,  he 
saw  —  what  so  few  in  his  time  had  yet  seen  —  that  this  free- 
dom was  the  inalienable  right  of  all,  whatever  might  be 
their  creed.  He  was  an  earnest  seeker  for  truth,  with  Robin- 
son holding  it  impossible  that  all  the  light  from  God's  word 
had  yet  been  received.  Williams  "was  the  first  person  in 
modern  Christendom  to  establish  civil  government  on  the 
doctrine  of  the  liberty  of  conscience,  the  equality  of  opinions 
^Maityn,  Vol.  V,  p.  297.  ^dem.  p.  335. 


294  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

before  the  law. "  *  He  declared  it  to  be  the  duty  of  the 
magistrate  to  restrain  crime,  but  never  to  control  the  con- 
science. "The  public  or  the  magistrates  may  decide,"  he 
said,  ' '  what  is  due  from  man  to  man ;  but  when  they  at- 
tempt to  prescribe  a  man's  duties  to  God,  they  are  out 
of  place,  and  there  can  be  no  safety;  for  it  is  clear  that 
if  the  magistrate  has  the  power,  he  may  decree  one  set  of 
opinions  or  beliefs  to-day  and  another  to-morrow;  as  has 
been  done  in  England  })y  different  kings  and  queens,  and 
by  different  popes  and  councils  in  the  Roman  Church;  so 
that  belief  would  become  a  heap  of  confusion."" 

Attendance  at  the  services  of  the  established  church  was 
required  under  a  penalty  of  fine  or  imprisonment.  "Will- 
iams reprobated  the  law;  the  worst  statute  in  the  English 
code  was  that  which  did  but  enforce  attendance  upon  the 
parish  church.  To  compel  men  to  unite  with  those  of  a 
different  creed,  he  regarded  as  an  open  violation  of  their 
natural  rights;  to  drag  to  public  worship  the  irreligious  and 
the  unwilling,  seemed  only  like  requiring  hypocrisy.  .  .  . 
'No  one  should  be  bound  to  worship,  or,'  he  added,  'to 
maintain  a  worship,  against  his  own  consent.'  'What!'  ex- 
claimed his  antagonists,  amazed  at  his  tenets,  'is  not  the 
laborer  worthy  of  his  hire?'  'Yes,'  replied  he,  'from 
them  that  hire  him.'  "* 

Roger  Williams  was  respected  and  beloved  as  a  faithful 
minister,  a  man  of  rare  gifts,  of  unbending  integrity  and 
true  benevolence;  yet  his  steadfast  denial  of  the  right  of 
civil  magistrates  to  authority  over  the  church,  and  his 
demand  for  religious  liberty,  could  not  be  tolerated.  The 
application  of  this  new  doctrine,  it  was  urged,  would  "sub- 
vert the  fundamental  state  and  government  of  the  country. ' '  * 
He  was  sentenced  to  ])anishment  from  the  colonies,  and 
finally,  to  avoid  arrest,  he  was  forced  to  flee,  amid  the  cold 
and  storms  of  winter,  into  the  unbroken  forest. 

"For  fourteen  weeks,"  he  says,  "I  was  sorely  tossed 
in   a   bitter   season,    not   knowing   what   bread   or   bed   did 

'  Bancroft,  Part  I,  ch.  15,  par.  16.  "  Martyn,  Vol.  V,  p.  340. 

'  Bancroft,  Part  I,  ch.  15,  par.  2.  *  Idem,  par.  10. 


THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS  295 

mean."  But  "the  ravens  fed  me  in  the  wilderness,"  and 
a  hollow  tree  often  served  him  for  a  shelter/  Thus  he 
continued  his  painful  flight  through  the  snow  and  the 
trackless  forest,  until  he  found  refuge  with  an  Indian  tribe 
whose  confidence  and  affection  he  had  won  while  endeavor- 
ing to  teach  them  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

Making  his  way  at  last,  after  months  of  change  and 
wandering,  to  the  shores  of  Narragansett  Bay,  he  there 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  first  state  of  modern  times  that 
in  the  fuUest  sense  recognized  the  right  of  religious  free- 
dom. The  fundamental  principle  of  Roger  Williams's  col- 
ony, was  "that  every  man  should  have  liberty  to  worship 
God  according  to  the  light  of  his  own  conscience. ' '  "^  His 
little  State,  Rhode  Island,  became  the  asylum  of  the  op- 
pressed, and  it  increased  and  prospered  until  its  founda- 
tion principles  —  civil  and  religious  liberty  —  became  the 
corner-stones  of  the  American   Republic. 

In  that  grand  old  document  which  our  forefathers  set 
forth  as  their  bill  of  rights  —  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence—  they  declared:  "We  hold  thes,e  truths  to  be 
self-evident,  that  all  men  are  created  equal ;  that  they  are 
endowed  by  their  Creator  with  certain  unalienable  rights; 
that  among  these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  hap- 
piness." And  the  Constitution  guarantees,  in  the  most 
explicit  terms,  the  inviolability  of  conscience:  "No  religious 
test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a  qualification  to  any  office 
of  public  trust  under  the  United  States."  "Congress  shall 
make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  pro- 
hibiting the  free  exercise  thereof." 

"The  framers  of  the  (constitution  recognized  the  eternal 
principle  that  man's  relation  with  his  God  is  al)ove  human 
legislation,  and  his  rights  of  conscience  inalienable.  Reason- 
ing was  not  necessary  to  establish  this  truth ;  we  are  con- 
scious of  it  in  our  own  bosoms.  It  is  this  consciousness 
which,  in  defiance  of  human  laws,  has  sustained  so  many 
martyrs  in  tortures  and  fiames.  Tliey  felt  that  their  duty  to 
God  was  superior  to  human  enactments,  and  that  man  could 
'  Martyu,  Vol.  V,  pp.  349,  350.  '  Idem,  p.  354. 


296  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

exercise  no  authority  over  their  consciences.    It  is  an  inborn 
principle  which  nothing   can   eradicate. ' ' ' 

As  the  tidings  spread  through  the  countries  of  Europe, 
of  a  land  where  every  man  might  enjoy  the  fruit  of  his  owii 
labor  and  obey  the  convictions  of  his  conscience,  thousands 
flocked  to  the  shores  of  the  New  World.  Colonies  rapidlj 
multiplied.  "Massachusetts,  by  special  law,  offered  freo 
welcome  and  aid,  at  the  public  cost,  to  Christians  of  any 
nationality  who  might  fly  beyond  tlie  Atlantic  'to  escape 
from  wars  or  famine,  or  the  oppression  of  their  perse- 
cutors.' Thus  the  fugitive  and  the  downtrodden  were, 
by  statute,  made  the  guests  of  the  commonwealth. " ''  In 
twenty  years  from  the  first  landing  at  Plymouth,  as  many 
thousand  Pilgrims  were  settled  in  New  England. 

To  secure  the  object  which  they  sought,  "they  were  eon- 
tent  to  earn  a  bare  subsistence  by  a  life  of  frugality  and 
toil.  Tliey  asked  nothing  from  the  soil  but  the  reasonable 
returns  of  their  own  labor.  No  golden  vision  threw  a  de- 
ceitful halo  around  their  patli.  .  .  .  Tliey  were  content  with 
the  slow  but  steady  progress  of  their  social  polity.  They 
patiently  endured  the  privations  of  tlie  wilderness,  water- 
ing the  tree  of  liberty  with  their  tears,  and  with  the  sweat 
of  their  brow,  till  it  took  deep  root  in  the  land." 

The  Bible  was  held  as  the  foundation  of  faith,  the  source 
of  wisdom,  and  the  charter  of  liberty.  Its  principles  were 
diligently  taught  in  the  home,  in  the  school,  and  in  the 
church,  and  its  fruits  were  manifest  in  thrift,  intelligence 
purity,  and  temperance.  One  might  be  for  years  a  dweller 
in  the  Puritan  settlements,  "and  not  see  a  drunkard,  or 
hear  an  oath,  or  meet  a  beggar."^  It  was  demonstrated 
that  the  principles  of  the  Bible  are  the  surest  safeguards  of 
national  greatness.  The  feeble  and  isolated  colonies  grew 
to  a  confederation  of  powerful  States,  and  the  world  marked 
with  wonder  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  "a  church  with- 
out a  pope,  and  a  state  without  a  king." 

But  continually  increasing  numbers  were  attracted  to 
the  shores  of  America,  actuated  by  motives  widely  different 

*  Congressional  Documents  (U.  S.  A.),  Serial  No.  200,  Document  No.  271. 
*  Martyn,  Vol.  V,  p.  417.  "  Bancroft,  Part  I,  eh.  19,  par.  25. 


THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS  297 

from  those  of  the  first  Pilgrims.  Though  the  primitive 
faith  and  purity  exerted  a  wide-spread  and  moulding  power, 
yet  its  influence  became  less  and  less  as  the  numbers  in- 
creased of  those  who  sought  only  worldly  advantage. 

The  regulation  adopted  by  the  early  colonists,  of  per- 
mitting only  members  of  the  church  to  vote  or  to  hold 
office  in  the  ciAdl  government,  led  to  most  pernicious  results. 
This  measure  liad  been  accepted  as  a  means  of  preserv- 
ing the  purity  of  the  state,  but  it  resulted  in  the  corrup- 
tion of  the  church.  A  profession  of  religion  being  the 
condition  of  suffrage  and  office-holding,  many,  actuated 
solely  by  motives  of  worldly  policy,  united  with  the  church 
without  a  change  of  heart.  Thus  the  churches  came  to 
consist,  to  a  considerable  extent,  of  unconverted  persons; 
and  even  in  the  ministry  were  those  who  not  only  held 
errors  of  doctrine,  but  who  were  ignorant  of  the  renewing 
power  of  tlie  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  again  was  demonstrated 
the  evil  results,  so  often  witnessed  in  the  history  of  the 
church  from  the  days  of  Constantine  to  the  present,  of 
attempting  to  build  up  the  church  by  the  aid  of  the  state, 
of  appealing  to  the  secular  power  in  support  of  the  gospel  of 
Him  who  declared,  ' '  IMy  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world. ' '  * 
The  union  of  the  church  with  the  state,  be  the  degree  never 
so  slight,  while  it  may  appear  to  bring  the  Avorld  nearer  to 
the  church,  does  in  reality  but  bring  the  church  nearer  to 
the  world. 

The  great  principle  so  nobly  advocated  by  Robinson  and 
Roger  Williams,  that  truth  is  progressive,  that  Christians 
should  stand  ready  to  accept  all  the  light  which  may  shine 
from  God's  holy  word,  was  lost  sight  of  by  their  descend- 
ants. The  Protestant  churches  of  America  —  and  those  of 
Europe  as  well  —  so  highly  favored  in  receiving  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Reformation,  failed  to  press  forward  in  the  path 
of  reform.  Though  a  few  faithful  men  arose,  from  time  to 
time,  to  proclaim  new  truth  and  expose  long-cherished  error, 
the  majority,  like  the  Jews  in  Christ's  day  or  the  papists  in 
the  time  of  Luther,  were  content  to  believe  as  their  fathers 

'John  18:36. 


298  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

had  believed,  and  to  live  as  they  had  lived.  Therefore 
religion  again  degenerated  into  formalism;  and  errors  and 
superstitions  which  would  have  been  cast  aside  had  the 
church  continued  to  walk  in  the  light  of  God's  word,  were 
retained  and  cherished.  Thus  the  spirit  inspired  by  the 
Reformation  gradually  died  out,  until  there  was  almost  as 
great  need  of  reform  in  the  Protestant  churches  as  in  the 
Roman  Church  in  the  time  of  Luther.  Therfe  was  the  same 
worldliness  and  spiritual  stupor,  a  similar  reverence  for  the 
opinions  of  men,  and  substitution  of  human  theories  for 
the  teachings  of  God's  word. 

The  \^dde  circulation  of  the  Bible  in  the  early  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  and  the  great  light  thus  shed  upon 
the  world,  was  not  followed  by  a  corresponding  advance  in 
knowledge  of  revealed  truth,  or  in  experimental  religion. 
Satan  could  not,  as  in  former  ages,  keep  God's  word  from 
the  people;  it  had  been  placred  within  the  reach  of  all;  but 
in  order  still  to  accomplish  his  object,  he  led  many  to  value 
it  but  lightly.  Men  neglected  to  search  the  Scriptures,  and 
thus  they  continued  to  accept  false  interpretations,  and  to 
eheiish  doctrines  which  had  no  foundation  in  the  Bible. 

Seeing  the  failure  of  his  efforts  to  crush  out  the  truth  by 
persecution,  Satan  had  again  resorted  to  the  plan  of  com- 
promise which  led  to  the  great  apostasy  and  the  formation 
of  the  Church  of  Rome.  He  had  induced  Christians  to 
ally  themselves,  not  now  with  pagans,  but  with  those  who, 
by  their  devotion  to  the  things  of  this  world,  had  proved 
themselves  to'  be  as  truly  idolaters  as  were  the  worshipers  of 
graven  images.  And  the  results  of  this  union  were  no  less 
pernicious  now  than  in  former  ages;  pride  and  extravagance 
were  fostered  under  the  guise  of  religion,  and  the  churches 
became  corrupted.  Satan  continued  to  pervert  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible,  and  traditions  that  were  to  ruin  millions  were 
taking  deep  root.  The -church  was  upholding  and  defend- 
ing these  traditions,  instead  of  contending  for  "the  faith 
which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  Thus  were  de- 
graded the  principles  for  which  the  Reformers  had  done 
and  suffered  so  much. 


HERALDS  OF  THE   MORNING-17 

One  of  the  most  solemn  and  yet  most  glorious  truths 
revealed  in  the  Bible  is  that  of  Christ's  second  coming, 
to  complete  the  great  work  of  redemption.  To  God's  pil- 
grim people,  so  long  left  to  sojourn  in  "the  region  and 
shadow  of  death,"  a  precious,  joy-inspiring  hope  is  given 
in  the  promise  of  His  appearing,  who  is  "the  resurrection 
and  the  life,"  to  "bring  home  again  His  banished."  The 
doctrine  of  the  second  advent  is  the  very  key-note  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures.  From  the  day  when  the  first  pair  turned 
their  sorrowing  steps  from  Eden,  the  children  of  faith  have 
waited  the  coming  of  the  Promised  One  to  break  the  des- 
troyer's  power  and  bring  them  again  to  the  lost  Paradise. 
Holy  men  of  old  looked  forward  to  the  advent  of  the 
Messiah  in  glory,  as  the  consummation  of  their  hope. 
Enoch,  only  the  seventh  in  descent  from  them  that  dwelt 
in  Eden,  he  who  for  three  centuries  on  earth  walked  with 
his  God,  was  permitted  to  behold  from  afar  the  coming  of 
the  Deliverer,  "Behold,"  he  declared,  "the  Lord  cometh 
with  ten  thousands  of  His  saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon 
all. ' '  ^  The  patriarch  Job  in  the  night  of  his  affliction  ex- 
claimed with  unshaken  trust-.  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer 
liveth,  and  tliat  He  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the 
earth :  ...  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God :  whom  I  shall  see  for 
myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another. ' ' ' 
'Jude  14,15.  *Job  19:25-27. 

(299) 


300  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  coming  of  Christ  to  usher  in  the  reign  of  righteous- 
ness,  has  inspired  the  most  sublime  and  impassioned  utter- 
ances of  the  sacred  writers.  The  poets  and  prophets  of  the 
Bible  have  dwelt  upon  it  in  words  glowing  with  celestial 
fire.  The  psalmist  sung  of  the  power  and  majesty  of  Israel's 
King:  "Out  of  Zion,  the  perfection  of  beauty,  God  hath 
shined.  Our  God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence. 
.  .  .  He  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from  above,  and  to  the 
earth,  that  He  may  judge  His  people. " '  "  Let  the  heavens 
rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be  glad  .  .  .  before  the  Lord:  for 
He  cometh,  for  He  cometh  to  judge  the  earth:  He  shall 
judge  the  world  with  righteousness,  and  the  people  with 
His  truth."* 

Said  the  prophet  Lsaiah:  "Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell 
in  dust:  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  eartli 
shall  cast  out  the  dead."  "Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  to- 
gether with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise."  "He  will  swal- 
low up  death  in  victory;  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away 
tears  from  off  all  faces;  and  the  rebuke  of  His  people  shall 
He  take  away  from  off  all  the  earth :  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it.  And  it  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo,  this  is  our 
God;  we  have  waited  for  Him,  and  He  will  save  us:  this 
is  the  Lord;  we  have  waited  for  Him,  we  will  be  glad  and 
rejoice  in  His  salvation."* 

And  Habakkuk,  rapt  in  holy  vision,  beheld  His  appearing. 
"God  came  from  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One  froiu  Mount 
Paran.  His  glory  covered  the  heavens,  and  the  earth  was 
full  of  His  praise.  And  His  brightness  was  as  the  light." 
"He  stood,  and  measured  the  earth:  He  beheld,  and  drove 
asunder  the  nations;  and  the  everlasting  mountains  were 
scattered,  the  perpetual  hills  did  bow:  His  ways  are  ever- 
lasting." "Thou  didst  ride  upon  Thine  horses  and  Thy 
chariots  of  salvation."  "The  mountains  saw  Thee,  and  they 
trembled:  .  .  .  the  deep  uttered  his  voice,  and  lifted  up  his 
hands  on  high.  The  sun  and  moon  stood  still  in  their 
habitation :  at  the  light  of  Thine  arrows  they  went,  and 
'Ps.  50:2-4.  *Ps.  96:11,  13.  '  Isa.    26:19;    25:8,   9. 


HERALDS  OF  THE  MORNING  301 

at  the  shining  of  Thy  glittering  spear."  "Thou  wentest 
forth  for  the  salvation  of  Thy  people,  even  for  salvation 
with  Thine  anointed. ' ' ' 

When  the  Saviour  was  about  to  be  separated  from  His 
disciples,  He  comforted  them  in  their  sorrow  with  the  as- 
surance that  He  would  come  again:  "Let  not  your  heart 
be  troubled.  ...  In  My  Father's  house  are  many  mansions. 
...  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go  and  pre- 
pare a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you 
unto  Myself. " '  "  The  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory, 
and  all  the  holy  angels  with  Him.  Then  shall  He  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  His  glory :  and  before  Him  shall  be  gath- 
ered all  nations. ' ' " 

The  angels  who  lingered  upon  Olivet  after  Christ's 
ascension,  repeated  to  the  disciples  the  promise  of  His 
return:  "This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you 
into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen 
Him  go  into  heaven."*  And  the  apostle  Paul,  speaking 
by  the  Spirit  of  inspiration,  testified:  "The  Lord  Himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice 
of  the  Archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God."'  Says  the 
prophet  of  Patmos,  "Behold,  He  cometh  with  clouds;  and 
every  eye  shall  see  Him, ' ' " 

About  His  coming  cluster  the  glories  of  that  "restitution 
of  all  things,  wliich  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all 
His  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began.'"  Then  the  long- 
continued  rule  of  evil  shall  })e  broken;  "the  kingdoms  of 
this  world"  will  become  "the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of 
His  Christ;  and  He  shall  reign  forever  and  ever."*  "The 
glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it 
together."  "The  Lord  God  will  cause  righteousness  and 
praise  to  spring  forth  before  all  the  nations."  He  shall  be 
"for  a  crown  of  glory,  and  for  a  diadem  of  beauty,  unto 
the  residue  of  His  people.'"* 

'Hab.  3:3-13.  ==  John  14:1-3.         »  Matt.  25:31,32.         'Acts  1:11. 

<'lThes3.  4:16.  "Rev.  1:7.  'Acts  3:21.  "Rev.  11:15. 

•Isa.  40:5;  61:11;  28:5. 


802  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

It  is  then  that  the  peaceful  and  long-desired  kingdom  of 
the  Messiah  shall  be  established  under  the  whole  heaven. 
"The  Lord  shall  comfort  Zion:  He  will  comfort  all  her  waste 
places;  and  He  will  make  her  wilderness  like  Eden,  and  her 
desert  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord."  "The  glory  of  Lebanon 
shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon." 
"Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken;  neither  shall  thy 
land  any  more  be  termed  Desolate :  but  thou  shalt  be  called 
J\Iy  Delight,  and  thy  land  Beulah. "  "As  the  bridegroom 
rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee. ' '  * 

The  coming  of  the  Lord  has  been  in  all  ages  the  hope  of 
His  true  followers.  The  Saviour's  parting  promise  upon 
Olivet,  that  He  would  come  again,  lighted  up  the  future  for 
His  disciples,  filling  their  hearts  with  joy  and  hope  that 
sorrow  could  not  quench  nor  trials  dim.  Amid  suffering 
and  persecution,  "the  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ"  was  the  "blessed  hope."  "When  the 
Thessalonian  Christians  were  filled  with  grief  as  they 
buried  their  loved  ones,  who  had  hoped  to  live  to  witness 
the  coming  of  the  Lord,  Paul,  their  teacher,  pointed  them 
to  the  resurrection,  to  take  place  at  the  Saviour's  advent. 
Then  the  dead  in  Christ  should  rise,  and  together  with  the 
living  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.  "And 
so,"  he  said,  "shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.  Wherefore 
comfort  one  another  with  these  words."' 

On  rocky  Patmos  the  beloved  disciple  hears  the  promise, 
"Surely  I  come  quickly,"  and  his  longing  response  voices 
the  prayer  of  the  church  in  all  her  pilgrimage,  "Even  so, 
come,  Lord  Jesus. ' "  i 

From  the  dungeon,  the  stake,  the  scaffold,  where  saints 
jind  martyrs  witnessed  for  the  truth,  comes  down  the  cen- 
turies the  utterance  of  their  faith  and  hope.  Being  ' '  assured 
of  His  personal  resurrection,  and  consequently  of  their  own 
at  His  coming,  for  this  cause,"  says  one  of  these  Chris- 
tians, ' '  they  despised  death,  and  were  found  to  be  above  it. "  * 

*Isa.  51:3;   35:2;  62:4,5   (margin).      ',  *1  Thess.  4:16-18. 

•Eev.  22:20.  'Taylor,  Daniel  T.,  "The  Heign  uf  Christ  on  Earth: 

or,  The  Voice  of  the  Church  in  All  Ages,"  p.  33. 


HERALDS   OF  THE  MORNING  303 

They  were  willing  to  go  down  to  the  grave,  that  they  might 
' '  rise  free. ' ' '  They  looked  for  the  ' '  Lord  to  come  from 
heaven  in  the  clouds  with  the  glory  of  His  Father,"  "bring- 
ing to  the  jnst  the  times  of  the  kingdom. ' '  The  Waldenses 
cherished  the  same  faith."  Wycliffe  looked  forward  to  the 
Eedeemer's  appearing  as  the  hope  of  the  church.' 

Luther  declared:  "I  persuade  myself  verily,  that  the 
day  of  judgment  will  not  be  absent  full  three  hundred 
years.  God  will  not,  can  not,  suffer  this  wicked  world  much 
longer."  "The  great  day  is  drawing  near  in  which  the 
kingdom  of  abominations  shall  be  overthrown. "  * 

"This  aged  world  is  not  far  from  its  end,"  said  Melanch- 
thon.  Calvin  bids  Christians  "not  to  hesitate,  ardently 
desiring  the  day  of  Christ's  coming  as  of  all  events  most 
auspicious;"  and  declares  that  "the  whole  family  of  the 
faithful  will  keep  in  view  that  day."  "We  must  hunger 
after  Christ,  we  must  seek,  contemplate,"  he  says,  "till  the 
dawning  of  that  great  day,  when  our  Lord  will  fully  mani- 
fest the  glory  of  His  kingdom. ' '  * 

"Has  not  our  Lord  Jesus  carried  up  our  flesh  into 
heaven?"  said  Knox,  the  Scotch  Reformer,  "and  shall  He 
not  return?  We  know  that  He  shall  return,  and  that  with 
expedition."  Ridley  and  Latimer,  who  laid  down  their 
lives  for  the  truth,  looked  in  faith  for  the  Lord's  coming, 
Ridley  wrote:  "The  world  without  doubt  —  this  I  do  be- 
lieve, and  therefore  I  say  it  —  draws  to  an  end.  Let  us 
with  John,  the  servant  of  God,  cry  in  our  hearts  unto  our 
Saviour  Christ,  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come. ' '  * 

"The  thoughts  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord,"  said  Baxter, 
"are  most  sweet  and  joyful  to  me.'"  "It  is  the  work  of  faith 
and  the  character  of  His  saints  to  love  His  appearing  and  to 
look  for  that  blessed  hope."  "If  death  be  the  last  enemy  to 
be  destroyed  at  the  resurrection,  we  may  learn  how  earnestly 
believers  should  long  and  pray  for  the  second  coming  of 
Christ,  when  this  full  and  final  conquest  shall  be  made.'" 

'Taylor,  "The  Voice  of  the  Church,"  p.  54.  ^  Idem,  pp.  129-132. 

'Idem,  pp.  132-134.  *  Idem,  pp.  158,  134.  "Idem,  pp.  151,  145. 

•Baxter,  Richard,  "Works,"  Vol.  XVII,  p.  555.  'Idem.  p.  500. 


304  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

''This  is  the  day  that  all  believers  should  long,  and  hope^ 
and  wait  for,  as  being  the  accomplishment  of  all  the  work 
of  their  redemption,  and  all  the  desires  and  endeavors  of 
their  souls."  "Hasten,  0  Lord,  this  blessed  day!"'  Such 
was  the  hope  of  the  apostolic  church,  of  the  "church  in 
the  wilderness,"  and  of  the  Reformers. 

Prophecy  not  only  foretells  the  manner  and  object  of 
Christ's  coming,  but  presents  tokens  by  which  men  are  to 
know  when  it  is  near.  Said  Jesus:  "There  shall  be  signs 
in  the  sun,  and  in  the  moon,  and  in  the  stars. "^  "The  sun 
shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light, 
and  the  stars  of  heaven  shall  fall,  and  the  powers  that  are 
in  heaven  shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shall  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  with  great  power  and 
glory.""  The  revelator  thus  describes  the  first  of  the  signs 
to  precede  the  second  advent:  "There  was  a  great  earth- 
quake; and  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and 
the  moon  became  as  blood. ' '  * 

These  signs  were  witnessed  before  the  opening  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  In  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy  there  oc- 
curred, in  the  year  1755,  the  most  terrible  earthquake  that 
has  ever  been  recorded.  Though  commonly  known  as  the 
earthquake  of  Lisbon,  it  extended  to  the  greater  part  of 
Europe,  Africa,  and  America.  It  was  felt  in  Greenland,  in 
the  West  Indies,  in  the  island  of  ^ladeira,  in  Norway  and 
Sweden,  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  It  pervaded  an  extent 
of  not  less  than  four  million  square  miles.  In  Africa  the 
shock  was  almost  as  severe  as  in  Europe.  A  great  part  of 
Algiers  was  destroyed;  and  a  short  distance  from  Morocco, 
a  \dllage  containing  eight  or  ten  thousand  inhabitants  was 
swallowed  up.  A  vast  wave  swept  over  the  coast  of  Spain 
and  Africa,  engulfing  cities,  and  causing  great  destruction. 

It  was  in  Spain  and  Portugal  that  the  shock  manifested 
its  extreme  violence.  At  Cadiz  the  inflowing  wave  was  said 
to  be  sixty  feet  high.  ]\Iountains,  "some  of  the  largest  in 
Portugal,  were  impetuously  shaken,  as  it  were,   from  their 

1  Baxter,  "Works,"  Vol.  XVII,  pp.  182,  183. 
'I^ujje  21:25.  »Mark  13:24-26.  *  IJev.  0:12, 


HERALDS  OP  THE  MORNING  305 

Very  foundations;  and  some  of  them  opened  at  their  sum- 
mits, which  were  split  and  rent  in  a  wonderful  manner, 
huge  masses  of  them  being  thrown  down  into  the  adjacent 
valleys.  Flames  are  related  to  have  issued  from  these 
mountains. ' ' ' 

At  Lisbon  "a  sound  of  thunder  was  heard  underground, 
and  immediately  afterward  a  violent  shock  threw  down  the 
greater  part  of  that  city.  In  the  course  of  about  six  minutes, 
sixty  thousand  persons  perished.  The  sea  first  retired,  and 
laid  the  bar  dry ;  it  then  rolled  in,  rising  fifty  feet  or  more 
above  its  ordinary  level."  "Among  other  extraordinary 
events  related  to  have  occurred  at  Lisbon  during  the  catas- 
trophe, was  the  subsidence  of  a  new  quay,  built  entirely  of 
marble,  at  an  immense  expense.  A  great  concourse  of 
people  had  collected  there  for  safety,  as  a  spot  where  they 
might  be  beyond  the  reach  of  falling  ruins ;  but  suddenly 
the  quay  sank  down  with  all  the  people  on  it,  and  not  one 
of  the  dead  bodies  ever  floated  to  the  surface."' 

"The  shock"  of  the  earthquake  "was  instantly  followed 
by  the  fall  of  every  church  and  convent,  almost  all  the  large 
public  buildings,  and  more  than  one  fourth  of  the  houses. 
In  about  two  hours  after  the  shock,  fires  broke  out  in  dif- 
ferent quarters,  and  raged  with  such  violence  for  the  space 
of  nearly  three  days,  that  the  city  was  completely  desolated. 
The  earthquake  happened  on  a  holy-day,  when  the  churches 
and  convents  were  full  of  people,  very  few  of  whom  es- 
caped."""  "The  terror  of  the  people  was  beyond  description. 
Nobody  wept;  it  was  beyond  tears.  They  ran  hither  and 
thither,  delirious  with  horror  and  astonishment,  beating  their 
faces  and  breasts,  crying,  'Misericordia!  the  world's  at  an 
end!'  Mothers  forgot  their  children,  and  ran  about  loaded 
with  crucifixed  images.  Unfortunately,  many  ran-  to  the 
churches  for  protection;  but  in  vain  was  the  sacrament  ex- 
posed; in  vain  did  the  poor  creatures  embrace  the  altars; 
images,  priests,  and  people  were  buried  in  one  common 
ruin."  It  has  been  estimated  that  ninety  thousand  persons 
lost  their  lives  on  that  fatal  day. 

»Lyell,  Sir  Charles,  " Principles  of  Geology,"  p.  495  (ed.  1858,  N.  Y.). 
'Encyclopaedia  Americana,  ?irt,  Lisbon,  note   (ed.  1831). 


306  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Twenty-five  years  later  appeared  the  next  sign  mentioned 
in  the  prophecy, —  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon. 
What  rendered  this  more  striking  was  the  fact  that  the 
time  of  its  fulfilment  had  been  definitely  pointed  out.  In 
the  Saviour's  conversation  with  His  disciples  upon  Olivet, 
after  describing  the  long  period  of  trial  for  the  church, —  the 
1260  years  of  papal  persecution,  concerning  which  He  had 
promised  that  the  tribulation  should  be  shortened, —  He  thus 
mentioned  certain  events  to  precede  His  coming,  and  fixed 
the  time  when  the  first  of  these  should  be  udtnessed:  "In 
those  days,  after  that  tribulation,  the  sun  shall  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light. ' ' '  The  1260  days,  or 
years,  terminated  in  1798.  A  quarter  of  a  century  earlier, 
persecution  had  almost  wholly  ceased.  Following  this  per- 
secution, according  to  the  words  of  Christ,  the  sun  was  to 
be  darkened.  On  the  19th  of  May,  1780,  this  prophecy 
was  fulfilled. 

"Almost  if  not  altogether  alone,  as  the  most  mysterious 
and  as  yet  unexplained  phenomenon  of  its  kind,  .  .  .  stands 
the  dark  day  of  ]\Iay  19,  1780, —  a  most  unaccountable 
darkening  of  the  whole  visible  heavens  and  atmosphere  in 
New  England. ' ' ' 

An  eye-witness  living  in  Massachusetts  describes  the 
event  as  follows: 

"In  the  morning  the  sun  rose  clear,  but  was  soon  over- 
cast. The  clouds  became  lowery,  and  from  them,  black  and 
ominous,  as  they  soon  appeared,  lightning  flashed,  thunder 
rolled,  and  a  little  rain  fell.  Toward  nine  o'clock,  the 
clouds  became  thinner,  and  a.ssumed  a  brassy  or  coppery  ap- 
pearance, and  earth,  rocks,  trees,  buildings,  water,  and  per- 
sons were  changed  by  this  strange,  unearthly  light.  A  few 
minutes  later,  a  heavy  black  cloud  spread  over  the  entire 
sky  except  a  narrow  rim  at  the  horizon,  and  it  was  as  dark 
as  it  usually  is  at  nine  o'clock  on  a  summer  evening.  .  .  . 

"Fear,  anxiety,  and  awe  gradually  filled  the  minds  of 
the  people.  Women  stood  at  the  door,  looking  out  upon  the 
dark  landscape ;  men  returned  from  their  labor  in  the  fields ; 

»  Mark  13 :  24.  =  Devens,  R.  M.,  <  <  Qur  First  Century, ' '  p.  89, 


HERALDS  OF  THE  MORNING  307 

the  carpenter  left  his  tools,  the  blacksmith  his  forge,  the 
tradesman  his  counter.  Schools  were  dismissed,  and  trem- 
blingly the  children  fled  homeward.  Travelers  put  up  at 
the  nearest  farmhouse.  'What  is  coming?'  queried  every 
lip  and  heart.  It  seemed  as  if  a  hurricane  was  about  to 
dash  across  the  land,  or  as  if  it  was  the  day  of  the  con- 
summation of  all  things. 

"Candles  were  used;  and  hearth-fires  shone  as  brightly 
as  on  a  moonless  evening  in  autumn.  .  .  .  Fowls  retired  to 
their  roosts  and  went  to  sleep,  cattle  gathered  at  the  pasture- 
bars  and  lowed,  frogs  peeped,  birds  sang  their  evening  songs, 
and  bats  flew  about.  But  the  human  knew  that  night  had 
not  come.  .  .  . 

"Dr.  Nathanael  Whittaker,  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle 
church  in  Salem,  held  religious  services  in  the  meeting- 
house, and  preached  a  sermon  in  which  he  maintained  that 
the  darkness  was  supernatural.  Congregations  came  to- 
gether in  many  other  places.  The  texts  for  the  extem- 
poraneous sermons  were  invariably  those  that  seemed  to 
indicate  that  the  darkness  was  consonant  with  scriptural 
prophecy.  .  .  .  The  darkness  was  most  dense  shortly  after 
eleven  o 'clock. "  *  "In  most  parts  of  the  country  it  was  so 
great  in  the  daytime,  that  the  people  could  not  tell  the 
hour  by  either  watch  or  clock,  nor  dine,  nor  manage  their 
domestic  business,  without  the  light  of  candles.  .  .  . 

"The  extent  of  this  darkness  was  extraordinary.  It  was 
observed  as  far  east  as  Falmouth.  To  the  westward  it 
reached  to  the  farthest  part  of  Connecticut,  and  to  Albany, 
To  the  southward,  it  was  observed  along  the  seacoa-sts;  and 
to  the  north  as  far  as  the  American  settlements  extend. ' ' ' 

The  intense  darkness  of  the  day  was  succeeded,  an  hour 
or  two  before  evening,  by  a  partially  clear  sky,  and  the  sun 
appeared,  though  it  was  still  obscured  by  the  black,  heavy 
mist.     "After   sundown,   the   clouds   came   again   overhead, 

»"The  Essex  Antiquarian,"  Salem,  Mass.,  April,  1899  (Vol.  Til, 
No.    4,    pp.    53,    54).  ^Gordon,    Dr.    Win.,    "History    of    the    Rise, 

Progress,   and   Establishment   of   the   Independence   of   the   U.    S.   A.," 
Vol.  Ill,  p.  57   (N.  Y.,  1789). 


308  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

and  it  grew  dark  very  fast."  "Nor  was  the  darkness  of 
the  night  less  uncommon  and  terrifying  than  that  of  the 
day;  notwithstanding  there  was  almost  a  full  moon,  no  ob- 
ject was  discernible  but  by  the  help  of  some  artificial  light, 
which,  when  seen  from  the  neighboring  houses  and  other 
places  at  a  distance,  appeared  tlirough  a  kind  of  Egyptian 
darkness  which  seemed  almost  impervious  to  the  rays. ' '  * 
Said  an  eye-^\^tnpss  of  the  scene:  "I  could  not  help  con- 
ceiving at  the  time,  that  if  every  luminous  body  in  the  uni- 
verse had  been  shrouded  in  impenetrable  shades,  or  struck 
out  of  existence,  the  darkness  could  not  have  been  more 
complete.'"'  Though  at  nine  o'clock  that  night  the  moon 
rose  to  the  full,  "it  had  not  the  least  effect  to  dispel  the 
deatlilike  shadows."  After  midnight  the  darkness  disap- 
peared, and  the  moon,  when  lirst  visible,  had  the  appear- 
ance of  blood. 

May  19,  1780,  stands  in  history  as  "The  Dark  Day." 
Since  the  time  of  Moses,  no  period  of  darkness  of  equal 
density,  extent,  and  duration, '  has  ever  been  recorded.  The 
description  of  this  event,  as  given  by  eye-witnesses,  is  but 
an  echo  of  the  words  of  the  Lord,  recorded  by  the  prophet 
Joel,  twenty-five  hundred  years  previous  to  their  fulfilment: 
"The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into 
blood,  before  tlie  great  and  the  terrible   day  of  the  Lord 

)  y  s 

come. 

Christ  had  bidden  His  people  watch  for  the  signs  of  His 
advent,  and  rejoice  as  they  should  behold  the  tokens  of  their 
coming  King.  "When  these  things  begin  to  come  to  i)ass," 
He  said,  "then  look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads;  for  your 
redemption  draweth  nigh."  He  pointed  His  followers  to 
the  budding  trees  of  spring,  and  said:  "When  they  now 
shoot  forth,  ye  see  and  know  of  your  own  selves  that  sum- 
mer is  now  nigh  at  hand.    So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  see  these 

*  Thomas,  "Massachusetts  Spy;   or,  American  Oracle  of  Liberty," 

Vol.  X,  No.  472  (May  25,  1780). 

^Letter  by  Dr.  Samuel  Tenney,  of  Exeter,  N.  H.,  December,  1785   (in 

"Massachusetts   Historical    Society   Collections,"    1792,    1st   series. 

Vol.  I,  p.  97).  "Joel  2:31. 


HERALDS  OF  THE  MORNING  309 

things  come  to  pass,  know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
nigh  at  hand."' 

But  as  the  spirit  of  humility  and  devotion  in  the  church 
had  given  place  to  pride  and  formalism,  love  for  Christ  and 
faith  in  His  coming  had  grown  cold.  Absorbed  in  world- 
liness  and  pleasure-seeking,  the  professed  people  of  God 
were  blinded  to  the  Saviour's  instructions  concerning  the 
signs  of  His  appearing.  The  doctrine  of  the  second  ad- 
vent had  been  neglected;  the  scriptures  relating  to  it  were 
obscured  by  misinterpretation,  until  it  was,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, ignored  and  forgotten.  Especially  was  this  the  case 
in  the  churches  of  America.  The  freedom  and  comfort 
enjoyed  by  all  classes  of  society,  the  ambitious  desire  for 
wealth  and  luxury,  begetting  an  absorbing  devotion  to 
money-making,  the  eager  rush  for  popularity  and  power, 
which  seemed  to  be  within  the  reach  of  all,  led  men  to 
center  their  interests  and  hopes  on  the  things  of  this  life, 
and  to  put  far  in  the  future  that  solemn  day  when  the 
present  order  of  things  should  pass  away. 

When  the  Saviour  pointed  out  to  His  followers  the  signs 
of  His  return.  He  foretold  the  state  of  backsliding  that 
would  exist  just  prior  to  His  second  advent.  There  would 
be,  as  in  the  days  of  Noah,  the  activity  and  stir  of  worldly 
business  and  pleasure-seeking  —  buying,  selling,  planting, 
building,  marrying,  and  giving  in  marriage  —  with  forget- 
fulness  of  God  and  the  future  life.  For  those  living  at  this 
time,  Christ's  admonition  is:  "Take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest 
at  any  time  your  hearts  be  overcharged  with  surfeiting,  and 
drunkenness,  and  cares  of  this  life,  and  so  that  day  i-oiiie 
upon  you  unawares."  "Watch  ye  therefore,  and  ])ray  al- 
ways, that  ye  may  be  accounted  worthy  to  escape  all  these 
things  that  shall  come  to  pass,  and  to  stand  before  the  Son 
of  man.'"* 

The  condition  of  the  church  at  this  time  is  pointed  out 
in   the   Saviour's   words  in   the   Revelation,   "Thou   hast   a 

^Luke  21:28,  30,  31.  'Luke  21:34,  36. 


310  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

name  that  thou  iivest,  and  art  dead. ' ' '  And  to  those  who 
refuse  to  arouse  from  their  careless  .security,  the  solemn 
warning  is  addressed,  "If  therefore  thou  shalt  not  watch,  I 
will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  knov 
what  hour  I  will  come  upon  thee. ' ' ' 

It  was  needful  that  men  should  be  awakened  to  their 
danger ;  that  they  should  be  roused  to  prepare  for  the  solemn 
events  connected  with  the  close  of  probation.  The  prophet 
of  God  declares :  ' '  The  day  of  the  Lord  is  great  and  \  ery 
terrible;  and  who  can  abide  it?"  Who  shall  stand  when 
He  appeareth  who  is  "of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  eviil," 
and  cannot  "look  on  iniquity"?'  To  them  that  cry,  "My 
God, ^we  know  Thee,"  yet  have  transgressed  His  covenant, 
and  hastened  after  another  god,"  hiding  iniquity  in  their 
hearts,  and  loving  the  paths  of  unrighteousness, —  to  these 
the  day  of  the  Lord  is  "darkness,  and  not  light,  even  very 
dark,  and  no  brightness  in  it. "  ^  "It  shall  come  to  pass  at 
that  time,"  saith  the  Lord,  "that  I  will  search  Jerusalem 
with  candles,  and  punish  the  men  that  are  settled  on  their 
lees:  that  say  in  their  heart.  The  Lord  will  not  do  good, 
neither  will  He  do  evil."*  "I  will  punish  the  world  for 
their  evil,  and  the  wicked  for  their  iniquity ;  and  I  will  cause 
the  arroganey  of  the  proud  to  cease,  and  Avill  lay  low  the 
haughtiness  of  the  terrible. " '  "  Neither  their  silver  nor 
their  gold  shall  be  able  to  deliver  them;"  "their  goods 
shall  become  a  booty,  and  their  houses  a  desolation. ' ' " 

The  prophet  Jeremiah,  looking  forward  to  this  fearful 
time,  exclaimed:  "I  am  pained  at  my  very  heart."  "I 
cannot  hold  my  peace,  because  thou  hast  heard,  0  my 
soul,  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  the  alarm  of  war.  De- 
struction upon  destruction  is  cried. "  '  '  '     ^  ' 

"That  day  is  a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and 
distress,  a  day  of  wasteness  and  desolation,  a  day  of  dark- 
ness and  gloominess,  a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darkness,  a 
day   of  the   trumpet   and   alarm."'     "Behold,    the   day   of 

'Rev.  3:1,  3.  ''Joel  2:11;   Hab.  1:13;  Hosea  8:2,  1;  Ps.  16:4. 

»Amos  5:20.         *  Zeph.   1:12.         » Isa.   13:11.         « Zeph.   1:18,   13. 

'Jer.    4:19,    20.  '  Zeph.    1:15,    16. 


HERALDS   OF  THE  MORNING  311 

the   Lord   cometh,  ...  to   lay   the   land   desolate:    and    He 
shall  destroy  the  sinners  thereof  out  of  it."' 

In  view  of  that  great  day  the  word  of  God,  in  the  most 
solemn  and  impressive  language,  calls  upon  His  people  to 
arouse  from  their  spiritual  lethargy,  and  to  seek  His  face 
with  repentance  and  humiliation:  "Blow  ye  the  trumpet  in 
Zion,  and  sound  an  alarm  in  My  holy  mountain:  let  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land  tremble :  for  the  day  of  the  Lord 
cometh,  for  it  is  nigh  at  hand."  "Sanctify  a  fast,  call  a 
solemn  assembly:  gather  the  people,  sanctify  the  congrega- 
tion, assemble  the  elders,  gather  the  children :  ...  let  the 
bridegroom  go  forth  of  his  chamber,  and  the  bride  out  of 
her  closet.  Let  the  priests,  the  ministers  of  the  Lord,  weep 
between  the  porch  and  the  altar."  "Turn  ye  even  to  Me 
with  all  your  heart,  and  with  fasting,  and  with  weeping, 
and  with  mourning:  and  rend  your  heart,  and  not  your 
garments,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God:  for  He  is  gra- 
cious and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness."' 

To  prepare  a  people  to  stand  in  the  day  of  God,  a  great 
work  of  reform  was  to  be  accomplished.  God  saw  that  many 
of  His  professed  people  were  not  building  for  eternity,  and 
in  His  mercy  He  was  about  to  send  a  message  of  warning 
to  arouse  them  from  their  stupor,  and  lead  them  to  make 
ready  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 

This  warning  is  brought  to  view  in  Revelation  14.  Here 
is  a  threefold  message  represented  as  proclaimed  by  heav- 
enly beings,  and  immediately  followed  by  the  coming-  of 
the  Son  of  man  "to  reap  the  harvest  of  the  earth."  The 
first  of  these  warnings  announces  the  approaching  judg- 
ment. The  prophet  beheld  an  angel  flying  "in  the  midst  of 
heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred, 
and  tongue,  and  people,  saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Fear 
God,  and  give  glory  to  Him;  for  the  hour  of  His  judg- 
ment is  come :  and  worship  Him  that  made  heaven,  and 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters. ' ' ' 

'Isa.  13:9.  ^  Joel  2:1,  15-18,  12,  13.  'Rev.  14:6,  7. 


312  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

This  message  is  declared  to  be  a  part  of  the  "everlasting 
gospel,"  The  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  has  not  been 
committed  to  angels,  but  has  been  intrusted  to  men.  Holy 
angels  have  been  employed  in  directing  this  work,  they 
have  in  charge  the  great  movements  for  the  salvation  ol' 
men;  but  the  actual  proclamation  of  the  gospel  is  performed 
by  the  servants  of  Christ  upon  the  earth. 

•  Faithful  men,  who  were  obedient  to  the  promptings  of 
God's  Spirit  and  the  teachings  of  His  word,  were  to  pro- 
claim this  warning  to  the  world.  They  were  those  who 
had  taken  heed  to  the  "sure  word  of  prophecy,"  the  "light 
that  shineth  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the 
day-star  arise. ' ' '  They  had  been  seeking  the  knowledge  of 
God  more  than  all  hid  treasures,  counting  it  "better  than 
the  merchandise  of  silver,  and  the  gain  thereof  than  fine 
gold. ' '  ^  And  the  Lord  revealed  to  them  the  great  things 
of  the  kingdom.  "The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them 
that  fear  Him;  and  He  will  show  them  His  covenant."' 

It  was  not  the  scholarly  theologians  who  had  an  under- 
standing of  this  truth,  and  engaged  in  its  proclamation.  Had 
these  been  faithful  watchmen,  diligently  and  prayerfully 
searching  the  Scriptures,  they  would  have  known  the  time  of 
night;  the  prophecies  M-ould  have  opened  to  them  the  events 
about  to  take  place.  But  they  did  not  occupy  this  position, 
and  the  message  was  given  by  hurtibler  men.  Said  Jesus, 
"Walk  Avhile  ye  have  the  light,  lest  darkness  come  upon 
you."*  Those  who  turn  away  from  the  light  which  God  has 
given,  or  who  neglect  to  seek  it  when  it  is  within  their  reach, 
are  left  in  darkness.  But  the  Saviour  declares,  "He  that  fol- 
loweth  Me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the 
light  of  life. "^  Whoever  is  with  singleness  of  purpose 
seeking  to  do  God's  will,  earnestly  heeding  the  light  al- 
ready given,  -wall  receive  greater  light;  to  that  soul  some 
star  of  heavenly  radiance  will  be  sent,  to  guide  him  into 
all  truth. 

>2  Peter  1:19.        =Prov.  3:14.         'Ps,  25:14.  ♦John  12:35. 

"John  8:12. 


HERALDS   OF  THE  MORNING  313 

At  the  time  of  Christ's  first  advent,  the  priests  and 
scribes  of  the  holy  city,  to  whom  were  intrusted  the  oracles 
of  God,  might  have  discerned  the  signs  of  .the  times,  and 
proclaimed  the  coming  of  the  Promised  One.  The  prophecy 
of  Micah  designated  Ilis  birthplace;'  Daniel  specified  the 
time  of  His  advent.'  God  committed  these  prophecies  to 
the  Jewish  leaders;  they  were  without  excuse  if  they  did 
not  know  and  declare  to  the  people  that  the  Messiah's  com- 
ing was  at  hand.  Their  ignorance  was  the  result  of  sinful 
neglect.  The  Jews  were  building  monuments  for  the  slain 
prophets  of  God,  while  by  their  deference  to  the  great 
men  of  earth  they  were  paying  homage  to  the  servants  of 
Satan.  Absorbed  in  their  ambitious  strife  for  place  and 
power  among  men,  they  lost  sight  of  the  divine  honors 
proffered  them  by  the  King  of  heaven. 

With  profound  and  reverent  interest  the  elders  of  Israel 
should  have  been  studying  the  place,  the  time,  the  cir- 
cumstances, of  the  greatest  event  in  the  world's  history, — 
the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  to  accomplish  the  redemption 
of  man.  All  the  people  should  have  been  watching  and 
waiting  that  they  might  be  among  the  first  to  welcome  the 
world's  Redeemer.  But  lo,  at  Bethlehem  two  weary  trav- 
elers from  the  hills  of  Nazareth  traverse  the  whole  length 
of  the  narrow  street  to  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  town, 
vainly  seeking  a  place  of  rest  and  shelter  for  the  night. 
No  doors  are  open  to  receive  them.  In  a  w^retched  hovel 
prepared  for  cattle,  they  at  last  find  refuge,  and  there 
the   Saviour  of  the   world  is  born. 

Heavenly  angels  had  seen  the  glory  which  the  Son  of 
God  shared  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was,  and  they 
had  looked  forward  with  intense  interest  to  His  appearing 
on  earth,  as  an  event  fraught  with  the  greatest  joy  to  all 
peopk.  Angels  were  appointed  to  carry  the  glad  tidings  to 
those  who  were  prepared  to  receive  it,  and  who  would  joy- 
fully make  it  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  Christ 
had  stooped  to  take  upon  Himself  man's  nature;  He  was 
'Micah  5:2.  'Dan.  9:25. 


314  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

to  bear  an  infinite  weight  of  woe  as  He  should  make  His 
soul  an  offering  for  sin;  yet  angels  desired  that  even  in  His 
humiliation,  the  Son  of  the  Highest  might  appear  before 
men  with  a  dignity  and  glory  befitting  His  character. 
Would  the  great  men  of  earth  assemble  at  Israel's  capital 
to  greet  His  coming?  Would  legions  of  angels  present 
Him  to  the  expectant  company? 

An  angel  visits  the  earth  to  see  who  are  prepared  to  wel- 
come Jesus,  But*  he  can  discern  no  tokens  of  expectancy. 
He  hears  no  voice  of  praise  and  triumph,  that  the  period 
of  Messiah's  coming  is  at  hand.  The  angel  hovers  for  a 
time  over  the  chosen  city  and  the  temple  where  the  divine 
presence  has  been  manifested  for  ages;  but  even  here  is  the 
same  indifference.  The  priests,  in  their  pomp  and  pride,  are 
offering  polluted  sacrifices  in  the  temple.  The  Pharisees 
are  with  loud  voices  addressing  the  people,  or  making  boast- 
ful prayers  at  the  corners  of  the  streets.  In  tlie  palaces  of 
kings,  in  the  asseml)lies  of  philosophers,  in  the  schools  of 
the  rabbis,  all  are  alike  unmindful  of  the  wondrous  fact 
which  has  filled  all  heaven  with  joy  and  praise, —  that  the 
Kedeemer  of  men  is  about  to  appear  upon  the  earth. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  Christ  is  expected,  and  no 
preparation  for  the  Prince  of  life.  In  amazement  the  celes- 
tial messenger  is  about  to  return  to  heaven  with  the  shame- 
ful tidings,  when  he  discovers  a  group  of  shepherds  who  are 
watching  their  flocks  by  night,  and  as  they  gaze  into  the 
starry  heavens,  are  contemplating  the  prophecy  of  a  Messiah 
to  come  to  earth,  and  longing  for  the  advent  of  the  world's 
Redeemer.  Here  is  a  company  that  is  prepared  to  receive 
the  heavenly  message.  And  suddenly  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
appears,  declaring  the  good  tidings  of  great  joy.  Celestial 
glory  floods  all  the  plain,  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels  is  revealed,  and  as  if  the  joy  were  too  great  for  one 
messenger  to  bring  from  heaven,  a  multitude  of  voices 
Jjreak  forth  in"  the  anthem  which  all  the  nations  of  the 
saved  shall  one  day  sing,  *' Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good  ^\dll  toward  men."* 

*Luke  2:14. 


HERALDS  OF  THE  MORNING  S15 

0,  what  a  lesson  is  this  wonderful  story  of  Bethlehem! 
How  it  rebukes  our  unbelief,  our  pride  and  self-sufficiency. 
How  it  warns  us  to  beware,  lest  by  our  criminal  indiffer- 
ence we  also  fail  to  discern  the  signs  of  the  times,  and 
therefore  know  not  the  day  of  our  visitation. 

It  was  not  alone  upon  the  hills  of  Judea,  not  among  the 
lowly  shepherds  only,  that  angels  found  the  watchers  for 
Messiah's  coming.  In  the  land  of  the  heathen  also  were 
those  that  looked  for  Him;  they  were  wise  men,  rich  and 
noble,  the  philosophers  of  the  East.  Students  of  nature,  the 
magi  had  seen  God  in  His  handiwork.  From  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures  they  had  learned  of  the  Star  to  arise  out  of 
Jacob,  and  with  eager  desire  they  awaited  His  coming,  who 
should  be  not  only  the  "Consolation  of  Israel,"  but  a 
"Light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,"  and  "for  salvation  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  "^  They  were  seekers  for  light,  and  light 
from  the  throne  of  God  illumined  the  path  for  their  feet. 
While  the  priests  and  rabbis  of  Jerusalem,  the  appointed 
guardians  and  expounders  of  the  truth,  were  shrouded  in 
darkness,  the  Heaven-sent  star  guided  these  Gentile  stran- 
gers to  the  birthplace  of  the  new-born  King. 

It  is  "unto  them  that  look  for  Him"  that  Christ  is  to 
"appear  the  second  time  without  sin  unto  salvation."' 
Like  the  tidings  of  the  Saviour's  birth,  the  message  of  the 
second  advent  was  not  committed  to  the  religious  leaders  of 
the  people.  They  had  failed  to  preserve  their  connection 
with  God,  and  had  refused  light  from  heaven;  therefore 
they  were  not  of  the  number  described  by  the  apostle  Paul: 
"But  ye,  brethren,  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that  day  i^hould 
overtake  you  as  a  thief.  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  light, 
and  the  children  of  the  day:  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor 
of   darkness. ' ' ' 

The  watchmen  upon  the  walls  of  Zion  should  have  been 
the  first  to  catch  the  tidings  of  the  Saviour's  advent,  the 
first  to  lift  their  voices  to  proclaim  Him  near,  the  first 
to  warn  the  people  to  prepare  for  His  coming.  But  they 
were  at  ease,  dreaming  of  peace  and  safety,  while  the  peo- 
*  Luke  2:25,  32;    Acta  13:47.        '  fleb.  9:28.        =■  1  Thess.  5:4,  5. 


316  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

pie  were  asleep  in  their  sins.  Jesus  saw  His  church,  like 
the  barren  fig-tree,  covered  with  pretentious  leaves,  yet 
destitute  of  precious  fruit.  There  was  a  boastful  observ- 
ance of  the  forms  of  religion,  while  the  spirit  of  true 
humility,  penitence,  and  faith  —  which  alone  could  render 
the  service  acceptable  to  God  —  was  lacking.  Instead  of  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  there  were  manifested  pride,  formalism, 
vainglory,  selfishness,  oppression.  A  backsliding  church 
closed  their  eyes  to  the  signs  of  the  times.  God  did  not 
forsake  them,  or  suffer  His  faithfulness  to  fail;  but  they 
departed  from  Him,  and  separated  themselves  from  His 
love.  As  they  refused  to  comply  with  the  conditions,  His 
promises  were  not  fulfilled  to  them. 

Such  is  the  sure  result  of  neglect  to  appreciate  and  im- 
prove the  light  and  privileges  which  God  bestows.  Unless 
the  church  will  follow  on  in  His  opening  providence,  accept- 
ing every  ray  of  light,  performing  every  duty  which  may 
be  revealed,  religion  will  inevitably  degenerate  into  the  ob- 
servance of  forms,  and  the  spirit  of  vital  godliness  will  dis- 
appear. This  truth  has  been  repeatedly  illustrated  in  the 
history  of  the  church.  God  requires  of  His  people  works  of 
faith  and  obedience  corresponding  to  the  blessings  and  privi- 
leges bestowed.  Obedience  requires  a  sacrifice  and  involves 
a  cross;  and  this  is  why  so  many  of  the  professed  followers 
of  Christ  refused  to  receive  the  light  from  heaven,  and,  like 
the  Jews  of  old,  knew  not  the  time  of  their  visitation.' 
Because  of  their  pride  and  unbelief,  the  Lord  passed  them 
by,  and  revealed  His  truth  to  those  who,  like  the  shep- 
herds of  Bethlehem  and  the  Eastern  magi,  had  given  heed 
to  all  the  light  they  had  received. 

*  Luke  19:44. 


AN  AMERIGAN    REFORMER -18 

An  upright,  honest-hearted  farmer,  who  had  been  led  to 
doubt  the  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  who  sin- 
cerely desired  to  know  the  truth,  was  the  man  specially 
chosen  of  God  to  lead  out  in  the  proclamation  of  Christ's 
second  coming.  Like  many  other  reformers,  William  Miller 
had  in  early  life  battled  with  poverty,  and  had  thus  learned 
the  great  lessons  of  energy  and  self-denial.  The  members 
of  the  family  from  which  he  sprung  were  characterized  by 
an  independent,  liberty-loving  spirit,  by  capability  of  endur- 
ance, and  ardent  patriotism, —  traits  which  were  also  promi- 
nent in  his  character.  His  father  Avas  a  captain  in  the  army 
of  the  Revolution,  and  to  the  sacrifices  which  he  made  in 
the  struggles  and  sufferings  of  that  stormy  period,  may  be 
traced  the  straitened  circumstances  of  Miller's  early  life. 

lie  had  a  sound  physical  constitution,  and  even  in  child- 
hood gave  evidence  of  more  than  ordinary  intellectual 
strength.  As  he  grew  older,  this  became  more  marked.  His 
mind  was  active  and  well  developed,  and  he  had  a  keen 
thirst  for  knowledge.  Though  he  did  not  enjoy  the  advan- 
tages of  a  collegiate  education,  his  love  of  study  and  a  habit 
of  careful  thought  and  close  criticism  rendered  him  a  man 
of  sound  judgment  and  comprehensive  views.  He  possessed 
an  irreproachable  moral  character  and  an  enviable  repu- 
tation, being  generally  esteemed  for  integrity,  thrift,  and 
benevolence.     By  dint  of  energy  and  application  he  early 

(317) 


318  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

acquired  a  competence,  though  his  habits  of  study  were  still 
maintained.  He  filled  various  civil  and  military  offices 
with  credit,  and  the  avenues  to  wealth  and  honor  seemed 
wide  open  to  him. 

His  mother  was  a  woman  of  sterling  piety,  and  in  child- 
hood he  had  been  subject  to  religious  impressions.  In  early 
manhood,  however,  he  was  thrown  into  the  society  of  deists, 
whose  influence  was  the  stronger  from  the  fact  that  they 
were  mostly  good  citizens,  and  men  of  humane  and  benev- 
olent disposition.  Living,  as  they  did,  in  the  midst  of  Chris- 
tian institutions,  their  characters  had  been  to  some  extent 
moulded  by  their  surroundings.  For  the  excellencies  which 
won  them  respect  and  confidence  they  were  indebted  to  the 
Bible ;  and  yet  these  good  gifts  were  so  perverted  as  to  exert 
an  influence  against  the  word  of  God.  By  association  with 
these  men,  Miller  was  led  to  adopt  their  sentiments.  The 
current  interpretations  of  Scripture  presented  difficulties 
which  seemed  to  him  insurmountable;  yet  his  new  belief, 
while  setting  aside  the  Bible,  offered  nothing  better  to  take 
its  place,  and  he  remained  far  from  satisfied.  He  continued 
to  hold  these  views,  however,  for  about  twelve  years.  But  at 
the  age  of  thirty-four,  the  Holy  Spirit  impressed  his  heart 
with  a  sense  of  his  condition  as  a  sinner.  He  found  in  his 
former  belief  no  assurance  of  happiness  beyond  the  grave. 
The  future  was  dark  and  gloomy.  Referring  afterward  to 
his  feelings  at  this  time,  he  said: 

"Annihilation  was  a  cold  and  chilling  thought,  and 
accountability  was  sure  destruction  to  all.  The  heavens 
were  as  brass  over  my  head,  and  the  earth  as  iron  under 
my  feet.  Eternity  —  what  was  it?  And  death  —  why  was 
it  1  The  more  I  reasoned,  the  further  I  was  from  demon- 
stration. The  more  I  thought,  the  more  scattered  were  my 
conclusions.  I  tried  to  stop  thinking,  but  my  thoughts  would 
not  be  controlled.  I  was  truly  wretched,  but  did  not  under- 
stand the  cause.  I  murmured  and  complained,  but  knew  not 
of  whom.  I  knew  that  there  was  a  wrong,  but  knew  not  how 
or  where  to  find  the  right.     I  mourned,  but  without  hope." 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  319 

In  this  state  he  contmued  for  some  months.  ''Suddenly," 
he  says,  '"the  character  of  a  Saviour  was  vividly  impressed 
upon  my  mind.  It  seemed  that  there  might  be  a  being  so 
good  and  compassionate  as  to  himself  atone  for  our  trans- 
gressions, and  thereby  save  us  from  suffering  the  penalty  of 
sin.  I  immediately  felt  how  lovely  such  a  being  must  be, 
and  imagined  that  I  could  cast  myself  into  the  arms  of,  and 
trust  in  the  mercy  of,  such  a  one.  But  the  question  arose, 
How  can  it  be  proved  that  such  a  being  does  exist?  Aside 
from  the  Bible,  I  found  tliat  I  could  get  no  evidence  of  the 
existence  of  such  a  Saviour,  or  even  of  a  future  state.  .  .  . 

"1  saw  that  the  Bible  did  bring  to  view  just  such  a  Sa- 
viour as  I  needed;  and  I  was  perplexed  to  find  how  an  unin- 
spired book  should  develop  principles  so  perfectly  adapted  to 
the  wants  of  a  fallen  world.  I  was  constrained  to  admit  that 
the  Scriptures  must  be  a  revelation  from  God.  They  became 
my  delight;  and  in  Jesus  I  found  a  friend.  The  Saviour 
became  to  me  the  chief  est  among  ten  thousand;  and  the 
Scriptures,  which  before  were  dark  and  contradictory,  now 
became  the  lamp  to  my  feet  and  light  to  my  path.  My 
mind  became  settled  and  satisfied.  I  found  the  Lord  God  to 
be  a  Rock  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean  of  life.  The  Bible  now 
became  my  chief  study,  and  I  can  truly  say,  I  searched  it 
with  great  delight.  I  found  the  half  was  never  told  me. 
I  wondered  why  I  had  not  seen  its  beauty  and  glory  before, 
and  marveled  that  I  could  have  ever  rejected  it.  I  found 
everything  revealed  that  my  heart  could  desire,  and  a  rem- 
edy for  every  disease  of  the  soul.  I  lost  all  taste  for  other 
reading,  and  applied  my  heart  to  get  wisdom  from  God.'" 

Miller  publicly  professed  his  faith  in  the  religion  which 
he  had  despised.  But  his  infidel  associates  were  not  slow  to 
bring  forward  all  those  arguments  which  he  himself  had 
often  urged  against  the  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  was  not  then  prepared  to  answer  them;  but  he  reasoned 
that  if  the  Bible  is  a  revelation  from  God,  it  must  be  con- 
distent  with  itself;  and  that  as  it  was  given  for  man's  in- 
'  Blisa,  S.,  •  •  Memoirs  of  Wm,  Miller, ' '  pp.  05-67. 


320  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

struction,  it  must  be  adapted  to  his  understanding.  He 
determined  to  study  the  Scriptures  for  himself,  and  ascertain 
if  every  apparent   contradiction  could   not   be  harmonized. 

Endeavoring  to  lay  aside  all  preconceived  opinions,  and 
dispensing  with  commentaries,  he  compared  scripture  with 
scripture  by  the  aid  of  the  marginal  references  and  the  con- 
cordance. He  pursued  his  study  in  a  regular  and  method- 
ical manner;  beginning  with  Genesis,  and  reading  verse  by 
verse,  he  proceeded  no  faster  than  the  meaning  of  the  sev- 
eral passages  so  unfolded  as  to  leave  him  free  from  all 
embarrassment.  When  he  found  anything  obscure,  it  was 
his  custom  to  compare  it  with  every  other  text  which  seemed 
to  have  any  reference  to  the  matter  under  consideration. 
Every  word  was  permitted  to  have  its  proper  bearing  upon 
the  subject  of  the  text,  and  if  his  view  of  it  harmonized 
with  every  collateral  passage,  it  ceased  to  be  a  difficulty. 
Thus  whenever  he  met  with  a  passage  hard  to  be  under- 
stood, he  found  an  explanation  in  some  other  portion  of  the 
Scriptures.  As  he  studied  with  earnest  prayer  for  divine 
enlightenment,  that  which  had  before  appeared  dark  to  his 
understanding  was  made  clear.  He  experienced  the  truth 
of  the  psalmist's  words,  "The  entrance  of  Thy  words  giveth 
light ;   it  giveth  understanding  unto   the   simple. ' ' ' 

With  intense  interest  he  studied  the  books  of  Daniel  and 
the  Revelation,  employing  the  same  principles  of  interpre- 
tation as  in  the  other  scriptures,  and  found,  to  his  great 
joy,  that  the  prophetic  symbols  could  be  understood.  He 
saw  that  the  prophecies,  so  far  as  they  had  been  fulfilled, 
had  been  fulfilled  literally ;  that  all  the  various  figures,  meta- 
phors, parables,  similitudes,  etc.,  were  either  explained  in 
their  immediate  connection,  or  the  terms  in  which  they 
were  expressed  were  defined  in  other  scriptures,  and  when 
thus  explained,  were  to  be  literally  understood.  **I  was 
thus  satisfied,"  he  says,  "that  the  Bible  is  a  system  of 
revealed  truths,  so  clearly  and  simply  given  that  the  way. 
faring  man,  though  a  fool,  need  not  err  therein.  "*  Link 
'Ps.  119:130.  =*  Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  70. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  321 

after  link  of  the  chain  of  truth  rewarded  his  efforts,  as 
step  by  step  he  traced  down  tlie  great  lines  of  prophecy. 
Angels  of  heaven  were  guiding  his  mind  and  opening  the 
Scriptures   to    his   understanding. 

Taking  the  manner  in  which  the  prophecies  had  been 
fulfilled  in  the  past,  as  a  criterion  by  which  to  judge 
of  the  fulfilment  of  those  which  were  still  future,  he  be- 
came satisfied  that  the  popular  view  of  the  spiritual  reign 
of  Christ  —  a  temporal  millennium  before  the  end  of  the 
world  —  was  not  sustained  by  the  word  of  God.  This 
doctrine,  pointing  to  a  thousand  years  of  righteousness 
and  peace  before  the  personal  coming  of  the  Lord,  put 
far  off  the  terrors  of  the  day  of  God.  But,  pleasing 
though  it  may  be,  it  is  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  Christ 
and  His  apostles,  w^ho  declared  that  the  wheat  and  the 
tares  are  to  grow  together  until  the  harvest,  the  end  of 
the  world;'  that  "evil  men  and  seducers  shall  wax  worse 
and  worse;"  that  "in  the  last  days  perilous  times  shall 
come;"*  and  that  the  kingdom  of  darkness  shall  con- 
tinue until  the  advent  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  be  con- 
sumed with  the  spirit  of  His  mouth,  and  be  destroyed  with 
the  brightness  of  His  coming,' 

The  doctrine  of  the  world's  conversion  and  the  spiritual 
reign  of  Christ  was  not  held  by  the  apostolic  church.  It  w^as 
not  generally  accepted  by  Christians  until  about  the  be- 
ginning of  the  eighteenth  century.  Like  every  other  error, 
its  results  were  evil.  It  taught  men  to  look  far  in  the  future 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  prevented  them  from  giving 
heed  to  the  signs  heralding  His  approach.  It  induced  a 
feeling  of  confidence  and  security  tliat  was  not  well  founded, 
and  led  many  to  neglect  the  i)reparation  necessary  iu  order 
to   meet  their  Lord. 

Miller  found  the  literal,  personal  coming  of  Christ  to  be 
plainly  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  Says  Paul,  "The  Lord 
Himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the 

» Matt  13:30,  d8-41.  »2  Tim.  3 :13, 1.  «2  Thess.  2:8. 

11— G.  C. 


322  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

voice  of  the  Archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God. ' '  *  Aud 
the  Saviour  declares :  ' '  They  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory."  "For 
as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  even 
unto  the  west ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man 
be. " '  He  is  to  be  accompanied  by  all  the  hosts  of  heaven. 
"The  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory,  and  all  the  holy 
angels  with  Him. ' "  "  And  He  shall  send  His  angels  with 
a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together 
His  elect.'" 

At  His  coming  the  righteous  dead  will  be  raised,  and  the 
righteous  living  will  be  changed.  "We  shall  not  all  sleep," 
says  Paul,  "but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump :  for  the  trumpet 
shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and 
we  shall  be  changed.  For  this  corruptible  must  put  on 
incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immortality. ' '  * 
And  in  his  letter  to  the  Thessalonians,  after  describing  the 
coming  of  tlie  Lord,  lie  says:  "The  dead  in  Christ  sliall  rise 
first:  then  we  wliich  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught 
up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air :  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord. ' ' ' 
'  Not  until  the  personal  advent  of  Christ  can  His  people 
receive  the  kingdom.  The  Saviour  said :  ' '  When  the  Son 
of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with 
Him,  then  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory:  and 
before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations:  and  He  shall  sepa- 
rate them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his 
sheep  from  the  goats :  and  He  shall  set  the  sheep  on  His  right 
hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left.  Then  shall  the  King  say 
unto  them  on  His  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  INIy  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  "^  We  have  seen  by  the  scriptures  just  given 
that  when  the  Son  of  man  comes,  the  dead  are  raised  incor- 
ruptible,  and  the  living  are  changed.  By  this  great  change 
they  are  prepared  to  receive  the  kingdom;   for  Paul  says, 

^  1  Thess.  4 :  16, 17.  '  Matt.  24 :  30,  27,  31. 

»Matt.  25:31-34.  'l  Cor.  15:51-53, 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  323 

"Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God; 
neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption. ' '  *  Man  in  his 
present  state  is  mortal,  corruptible;  but  the  kingdom  of  God 
will  be  incorruptible,  enduring  forever.  Therefore  man  in 
his  present  state  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
But  when  Jesus  comes,  He  confers  immortality  upon  His 
people;  and  then  He  calls  them  to  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
which  they  have  hitherto  been  only  heirs. 

These  and  other  scriptures  clearly  proved  to  Miller's  mind 
that  the  events  which  were  generally  expected  to  take  place 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  such  as  the  universal  reign  of 
peace  and  the  setting  up  of  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  the 
earth,  were  to  be  subsequent  to  the  second  advent.  Further- 
more, all  the  signs  of  the  times  and  the  condition  of  the 
world  corresponded  to  the  prophetic  description  of  the  last 
days.  He  was  forced  to  the  conclusion,  from  the  study  of 
Scripture  alone,  that  the  period  allotted  for  the  continu- 
ance of  the  earth  in  its  present  state  was  about  to  close. 

"Another  kind  of  evidence  that  vitally  affected  my 
mind,"  he  says,  "was  the  chronology  of  the  Scriptures.  .  .  . 
I  found  that  predicted  events,  which  had  been  fulfilled  in 
the  past,  often  occurred  within  a  given  time.  The  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  to  the  flood  (Gen.  ^:3);  the  seven 
days  that  were  to  precede  it,  with  forty  days  of  predicted 
rain  (Gen.  7:4)  ;  the  four  hundred  years  of  the  sojourn  of 
Abraham's  seed  (Gen.  15: 13)  ;  the  three  days  of  the  butler's 
and  baker's  dreams  (Gen.  40:12-20);  the  seven  years  of 
Pharaoh's  (Gen.  41:28-54);  the  forty  years  in  the  wilder- 
ness (Num.  14:34);  the  three  and  a  half  years  of  famine 
(1  Kings  17:1);"  ..  ,  the  seventy  years'  captivity  (Jer. 
25: 11)  ;  Nebuchadnezzar's  seven  times  (Dan.  4: 13-16)  ;  and 
the  seven  weeks,  threescore  and  two  weeks,  and  the  one  week, 
making  seventy  weeks,  determined  upon  the  Jews  (Dan. 
9:24-27), —  the  events  limited  by  these  times  were  all  once 
only  a  matter  of  prophecy,  and  were  fulfilled  in  accordance 
with  the  predictions.'" 

»1  Cor.  15:50,  =  See  Luke  4:25. 

"  Blias,  ' '  Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller, ' '  pp.  74,  75. 


324  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

When,  therefore,  he  found,  in  his  study  of  the  Bible, 
various  chronological  periods  that,  according  to  his  under- 
standing of  them,  extended  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ, 
he  could  not  but  regard  them  as  the  "times  before  ap- 
pointed," which  God  had  revealed  unto  His  servants.  "The 
secret  things,"  says  Moses,  "belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God: 
but  those  things  which  are  revealed  belong  unto  us  and  to 
our  children  forever ; "  ^  and  the  Lord  declares  by  the 
prophet  Amos,  that  He  "will  do  nothing,  but  He  revealeth 
His  secret  unto  His  servants  the  prophets. ' ' '  The  students 
of  God's  word  may,  then,  confidently  expect  to  find  the 
most  stupendous  event  to  take  place  in  human  history 
clearly  pointed  out  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

"As  I  was  fully  convinced,"  says  Miller,  "that  'all 
Scripture  given  by  inspiration  of  God  is  profitable ; ' '  that 
it  came  not  at  any  time  by  the  will  of  man,  but  was  written 
as  holy  men  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,*  and  was  writ- 
ten 'for  our  learning,  that  we  through  patience  and  comfort 
of  the  Scriptures  might  have  hope,'"  I  could  but  regard 
the  chronological  portions  of  the  Bible  as  being  as  much  a 
portion  of  the  word  of  God,  and  as  much  entitled  to  our 
serious  consideration,  as  any  other  portion  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. I  therefore  felt  that  in  endeavoring  to  comprehend 
what  God  had  in  His  mercy  seen  fit  to  reveal  to  us,  I  had 
no  right  to  pass  over  the  prophetic  periods."' 

The  prophecy  which  seemed  most  clearly  to  reveal  the 
time  of  the  second  advent  was  that  of  Dan.  8: 14:  "Unto  two 
thousand  and  three  hundred  days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary 
be  cleansed."  Following  his  rule  of  making  Scripture  its 
own  interpreter,  IMiller  learned  that  a  day  in  symbolic 
prophecy  represents  a  year ;  *  he  saw  that  the  period  of  2300 
prophetic  days,  or  literal  years,  would  extend  far  beyond  the 
close  of  the  Jev^dsh  dispensation,  hence  it  could  not  refer  to 
the  sanctuary  of  that  dispensation.  ]\Iiller  accepted  the 
generally  received  view,  that  in  the  Christian  age  the  earth 

^Deut.  29:29  ^Amos  3:7.  »  See  2  Tim.  3:16. 

*2  Peter  1:21.  ''Rom.  15:4.  «  Num.  14:34;  Eze.  4:6. 

*  Bliss,  ' '  Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller, ' '  p.  75. 


'AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  325 

is  the  sanctuary,  and  lie  therefore  understood  that  the  cleans- 
ing of  the  sanctuary  foretold  in  Dan.  8:14  represented  the 
purification  of  the  earth  by  fire  at  the  second  coming  of 
Christ.  If,  then,  the  correct  starting-point  could  be  found 
for  the  2300  days,  he  concluded  that  the  time  of  the  second 
advent  could  be  readily  ascertained.  Thus  would  be  revealed 
the  time  of  that  great  consummation,  the  time  when  the 
present  state,  with  "ail  its  pride  and  power,  pomp  and 
vanity,  wickedness  and  oppression,  would  come  to  an  end;" 
when  the  curse  would  be  "removed  from  off  tlie  earth,  death 
be  destroyed,  reward  be  given  to  the  servants  of  God,  the 
prophets  and  saints,  and  them  who  fear  Ilis  name,  and 
those  be  destroyed  that  destroy  the  earth. ' ' ' 

With  a  new  and  deeper  earnestness,  Miller  continued  the 
examination  of  the  prophecies,  whole  nights  as  well  as  days 
being  devoted  to  the  study  of  what  now  appeared  of  such 
stupendous  importance  and  all-absorbing  interest.  In  the 
eighth  chapter  of  Daniel  he  could  find  no  clue  to  the  start- 
ing-point of  the  2300  days;  the  angel  Gabriel,  though  com- 
manded to  make  Daniel  understand  the  vision,  gave  him 
only  a  partial  explanation.  As  the  terrible  persecution  to 
befall  the  church  was  unfolded  to  the  prophet's  vision, 
physical  strength  gave  way.  He  could  endure  no  more, 
and  the  angel  left  him  for  a  time.  Daniel  "fainted,  and 
was  sick  certain  days."  "And  I  M^as  astonished  at  the 
vision,"  he  says,   "but  none  understood  it." 

Yet  God  had  bidden  His  messenger,  "Make  this  man 
to  understand  the  vision."  That  commission  must  be  ful- 
filled. In  obedience  to  it,  the  angel,  some  time  afterward, 
returned  to  Daniel,  saying,  "I  am  now  come  forth  to  give 
thee  skill  and  understanding;"  "therefore  understand  the 
matter,  and  consider  the  vision."'  There  was  one  important 
point  in  the  vision  of  chapter  eight  which  had  been  left  unex- 
plained, namely,  that  relating  to  time, —  the  period  of  the 
2300  days;  therefore  the  angel,  in  resuming  his  explana- 
tion, dwells  chiefly  upon  the  subject  of  time:  ■*'  'f'b' 

*  Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.   76. 
=  Dan.  9:22,23,25-27. 


326  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

''Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and 
upon  thy  holy  city.  .  .  .  Know  therefore  and  understand, 
that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore 
and  to  build  Jerusalem  unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince  shall 
be  seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and  two  weeks:  the  street 
shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times. 
And  after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  IMessiah  be  cut  off, 
but  not  for  Himself.  .  .  .  And  He  shall  confirm  the  cove- 
nant with  many  for  one  week:  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week 
He  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease." 

"The  angel  had  been  sent  to  Daniel  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  explaining  to  him  the  point  which  he  had  failed  to 
understand  in  the  vision  of  the  eighth  chapter,  the  state- 
ment relative  to  time, — "Unto  two  thousand  and  three 
hundred  days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed."  After 
bidding  Daniel  "understand  the  matter,  and  consider  the 
vision,"  the  very  first  words  of  the  angel  are,  "Seventy 
weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy  holy 
city."  The  word  here  translated  "determined,"  literally  sig- 
nifies "cut  off."  Seventy  weeks,  representing  490  years,  are 
declared  by  the  angel  to  be  cut  off,  as  specially  pertaining  to 
the  Jews.  But  from  what  were  they  cut  off?  As  the  2300 
days  was  the  only  period  of  time  mentioned  in  chapter 
eight,  it  must  be  the  period  from  which  the  seventy  weeks 
were  cut  off;  the  seventy  weeks  must  therefore  be  a  part  of 
the  2300  days,  and  the  two  periods  must  begin  together. 
The  seventy  weeks  were  declared  by  the  angel  to  date  from 
the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  build 
Jerusalem.  If  the  date  of  this  commandment  could  be 
found,  then  the  starting-point  for  the  great  period  of  the 
2300  days  would  be  ascertained. 

In  the  seventh  chapter  of  Ezra  the  decree  is  found.* 
In  its  completest  form  it  was  issued  by  Artaxerxes,  king  of 
Persia,  b.  c.  457.  But  in  Ezra  6:14  the  house  of  the  Lord 
at  Jerusalem  is  said  to  have  been  built  "according  to  the 
commandment  [margin,  decree]  of  Cyrus,  and  Darius,  and 
Artaxerxes  king  of  Persia."  These  three  kings,  in  originat- 
»Ezra  7:12-26. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  327 

ing,  re-affirming,  and  completing  the  decree,  brought  it  to 
the  perfection  required  by  the  prophecy  to  mark  the  begin- 
ning of  the  2300  years.  Taking  b.  c.  457,  the  time  when 
the  decree  was  completed,  as  the  date  of  the  commandment, 
every  specification  of  the  prophecy  concerning  the  seventy 
weeks  was  seen  to  have  been  fulfilled. 

"From  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore 
and  to  build  Jerusalem  unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince  shall  be 
seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and  two  weeks, ' ' —  namely,  sixty- 
nine  weeks,  or  483  years.  The  decree  of  Artaxerxes  went 
into  effect  in  the  autumn  of  b.  c.  457.  From  this  date,  483 
years  extend  to  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27.^  At  that  time  this 
prophecy  was  fulfilled.  The  word  "Messiah"  signifies  "the 
Anointed  One. ' '  In  the  autumn  of  a.  d.  27,  Christ  was  bap- 
tized by  John,  and  received  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit.  The 
apostle  Peter  testifies  that  "God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power. ' ' '  And  the  Saviour 
Himself  declared,  "The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  Me,  be- 
cause He  hath  anointed  Me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
poor."^  After  His  baptism  He  went  into  Galilee,  "preach- 
ing the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  saying.  The 
time  is  fulfilled. ' '  * 

"And  He  shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one 
week."  The  "week"  here  brought  to  view  is  the  last  one  of 
the  seventy;  it  is  the  last  seven  years  of  the  period  allotted 
especially  to  the  Jews.  During  this  time,  extending  from 
A.  D.  27  to  A.  D.  34,  Christ,  at  first  in  person  and  afterward 
by  His  disciples,  extended  the  gospel  invitation  especially  to 
the  Jews.  As  the  apostles  went  forth  with  the  good  tidings 
of  the  kingdom,  the  Saviour's  direction  was,  "Go  not  into 
the  way  of  the  Gentiles,  and  into  any  city  of  the  Samari- 
tans enter  ye  not:  but  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the 
house  of  Israel."' 

"In  the  midst  of  the  week  He  shall  cause  the  sacrifice 
and  the  oblation  to  cease."     In  a. d.  31,  three  and  a  half 

'See  Appendix;  also  diagram  opposite- page  328. 
•Acta  10:38.        ^Luke4:18.        *  Mark  1 :14, 15.        »  Matt.  10:5,6. 


S28  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

years  after  His  baptism,  our  Lord  was  crucified.  With  th« 
great  sacrifice  offered  upon  Calvary,  ended  that  system  of 
offerings  which  for  four  thousand  years  had  pointed  forward 
to  the  Lamb  of  God.  Type  had  met  antitype,  and  all  the 
sacrifices  and  oblations  of  the  ceremonial  system  were  there 
to   cease. 

The  seventy  weeks,  or  490  years,  especially  allotted  to  the 
Jews,  ended,  as  we  have  seen,  in  a.  d.  3-4.  At  that  time, 
through  the  action  of  tlie  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  the  nation 
sealed  its  rejection  of  the  gospel  by  the  martyrdom  of 
Stephen  and  the  persecution  of  the  followers  of  Christ.  Then 
the  message  of  salvation,  no  longer  restricted  to  the  chosen 
people,  was  given  to  the  world.  The  disciples,  forced  by  per- 
secution to  flee  from  Jerusalem,  "went  everywhere  preach- 
ing the  Word."  "Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria, 
and  preached  Christ  unto  them."  Peter,  divinely  guided, 
opened  the  gospel  to  the  centurion  of  Ciesarea,  the  God- 
fearing Cornelius;  and  the  ardent  Paul,  won  to  the  faith  of 
Christ,  was  commissioned  to  carry  the  glad  tidings  "far 
hence  unto  the   Gentiles."* 

Thus  far  every  specification  of  the  prophecies  is  strikingly 
fulfilled,  and  the  beginning  of  the  seventy  weeks  is  fixed 
beyond  question  at  b.  c.  457,  and  their  exi)iration  in  a.  d.  34. 
From  this  data  there  is  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  termi- 
nation of  the  2300  days.  The  seventy  weeks  —  490  days  — 
having  been  cut  off  from  the  2300,  there  were  1810  days 
remaining.  After  the  end  of  490  days,  the  1810  days  were 
still  to  be  fulfilled.  From  a.d  34,  1810  years  extend  to 
1844.  Consequently  the  2300  days  of  Dan.  8 :  14  terminate 
in  184;4.  At  the  expiration  of  tliis  great  prophetic  period, 
upon  the  testimony  of  the  angel  of  God,  "the  sanctuary  shall 
be  cleansed."  Thus  the  time  of  the  cleansing  of  the  sanc- 
tuary—  which  was  almost  universally  believed  to  take  place 
at  the  second  advent  —  was  definitely  pointed  out. 

Miller  and  his  associates  at  first  believed  that  the  2300  days 
would  terminate  in  the  spring  of  1844,  whereas  the  prophecy 
»Act3  8:4,5;  22:21. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  329 

points  to  th.e  autumn  of  that  year/  The  misapprehension 
of  this  point  brought  disappointment  and  perplexity  to , 
those  who  had  fixed  upon  the  earlier  date  as  the  time  of  the 
Lord's  coming.  But  this  did  not  in  the  least  affect  the 
strength  of  the  argument  showing  that  the  2300  days  termi- 
nated in  the  year  1844,  and  that  the  great  event  represented 
by  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  must  then  take  place. 

Entering  upon  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  as  he  had 
done,  in  order  to  prove  that  they  were  a  revelation  from 
God,  ]\Iiller  had  not,  at  the  outset,  the  slightest  expectation  of 
reaching  the  conclusion  at  which  he  had  now  arrived.  He 
himself  could  hardly  credit  the  results  of  his  investigation. 
But  the  Scripture  evidence  was  too  clear  and  forcible  to  be 
set  aside. 

He  had  devoted  two  years  to  the  study  of  the  Bible,  when, 
in  1818,  he  reached  the  solemn  conviction  that  in  about 
twenty-five  years  Christ  would  appear  for  the  redemption  of 
His  people.  ''I  need  not  speak,"  says  Miller,  "of  the  joy  that 
filled  my  heart  in  view  of  the  delightful  prospect,  nor  of  the 
ardent  longings  of  my  soul  for  a  participation  in  the  joys  of 
the  redeemed.  The  Bible  was  now  to  me  a  new  book.  It 
was  indeed  a  feast  of  reason;  all  that  was  dark,  mystical,  or 
obscure  to  me  in  its  teachings,  had  been  dissipated  from 
my  mind  before  the  clear  light  that  now  dawned  from  its 
sacred  pages;  and  oh,  how  bright  and  glorious  the  truth 
appeared!  All  the  contradictions  and  inconsistencies  I  had 
before  found  in  the  Word  were  gone;  and  although  there 
were  many  portions  of  which  I  was  not  satisfied  I  had 
a  full  understanding,  yet  so  much  light  had  emanated  from 
it  to  the  illumination  of  my  before  darkened  mind,  that  I 
felt  a  delight  in  studying  the  Scripture  wliich  I  had  not 
before  supposed  could  be  derived  from  its  teachings. ' '  ^ 

''With  the  solemn  conviction  that  such  momentous  events 
were  predicted  in  the  Scriptures  to  be  fulfilled  in  so  short  a 
space  of  time,  the  question  came  home  to  me  with  mighty 

*  See  diagram ;  al80  Appendix. 
'Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  pp.  76,  77. 


g30  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

power  regarding  my  duty  to  the  world,  in  view  of  the  evi« 
dence  that  had  affected  my  own  mind. ' '  *  He  could  not  but 
feel  that  it  was  his  duty  to  impart  to  others  the  light  which 
he  had  received.  He  expected  to  encounter  opposition  from 
the  ungodly,  but  was  confident  that  all  Christians  would 
rejoice  in  the  hope  of  meeting  the  Saviour  whom  they  pro- 
fessed to  love.  His  only  fear  was,  that  in  their  great  joy  at 
the  prospect  of  glorious  deliverance,  so  soon  to  be  consum- 
mated, many  would  receive  the  doctrine  without  sufficiently 
examining  the  Scriptures  in  demonstration  of  its  truth.  He 
therefore  hesitated  to  present  it,  lest  he  should  be  in  error, 
and  be  the  means  of  misleading  others.  He  was  thus  led  to 
review  the  evidences  in  support  of  the  conclusions  at  which 
he  had  arrived,  and  to  consider  carefully  every  difficulty 
which  presented  itself  to  his  mind.  He  found  that  objec- 
tions vanished  before  the  light  of  God's  word,  as  mist  be- 
fore the  rays  of  the  sun.  Five  years  spent  thus,  left  him 
fully  convinced  of  the  correctness  of  his  position. 

And  now  the  duty  of  making  known  to  others  what  he 
believed  to  ))e  so  clearly  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  urged 
itself  with  new  force  upon  him.  "Wlien  I  was  about  my 
business,"  he  said,  "it  was  continually  ringing  in  my  ears, 
*Go  and  tell  the  world  of  their  danger.'  This  text  was  con- 
stantly occurring  to  me:  'When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  0 
wdcked  man,  thou  shalt  surely  die;  if  thou  dost  not  speak  to 
warn  the  wicked  from  his  way,  that  wicked  man  shall  die  in 
his  iniquity;  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand. 
Nevertheless,  if  thou  warn  the  wicked  of  his  way  to  turn 
from  it ;  if  he  do  not  turn  from  his  way,  he  shall  die  in  his 
iniquity;  but  thou  hast  delivered  thy  soul.'"  I  felt  that  if 
the  wicked  could  be  effectually  warned,  multitudes  of  them 
would  repent ;  and  that  if  they  were  not  warned,  their  blood 
might  be  required  at  my  hand.'" 

He  began  to  present  his  views  in  private  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity, praying  that  some  minister  might  feel  their  force 
and  devote  himself  to  their  promulgation.     But   he   could 

'Bliss,  *' Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  81. 
«£ze.  33:8,9.  » Bliss,  p.  92. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  S31 

not  banish  the  conviction  that  he  had  a  personal  duty  to 
perform  in  ^ving  tlie  warning.  The  words  were  ever  recur- 
ring to  his  niind,  ''Go  and  tell  it  to  the  world;  their  blood 
will  I  require  at  thy  hand."  For  nine  years  he  waited,  the 
burden  still  pressing  upon  his  soul,  until  in  1831  he  for 
the  first  time  publicly  gave  the  reasons  of  his  faith. 

As  Elisha  was  called  from  following  his  oxen  in  the  field, 
to  receive  the  mantle  of  consecration  to  the  prophetic  office, 
so  was  William  Miller  called  to  leave  his  plow,  and  open  to 
the  people  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  With 
trembling  he  entered  upon  his  work,  leading  his  hearers 
down,  step  hy  step,  tbrough  the  prophetic  periods  to  the 
second  appearing  of  Christ.  With  every  effort  he  gained 
strength  and  courage  as  he  saw  the  w4de-spread  interest 
excited  by  his  words. 

It  was  only  at  the  solicitation  of  his  brethren,  in  whose 
words  he  heard  the  call  of  God,  that  Miller  consented  to 
present  his  views  in  public.  He  was  now  fifty  years  of  age, 
unaccustomed  to  public  speaking,  and  burdened  with  a 
sense  of  unfitness  for  the  work  before  him.  But  from  tlie 
first  his  labors  were  blessed  in  a  remarkable  manner  to  the 
salvation  of  souls.  His  first  lecture  was  followed  by  a  relig- 
ious awakening  in  which  thirteen  entire  families,  with  the 
exception  of  two  persons,  were  converted.  He  was  immedi- 
ately urged  to  speak  in  other  places,  and  in  nearly  every 
place  his  labor  resulted  in  a  revival  of  the  work  of  God. 
Sinners  were  converted,  Christians  were  roused  to  greater 
consecration,  and  deists  and  infidels  were  led  to  acknowledge 
the  truth  of  tlie  Bible  and  the  Christian  religion.  The 
testimony  of  those  among  whom  he  labored  was,  "A  class 
of  minds  are  reached  by  him  not  within  the  influence  of 
other  men. ' ' '  His  preaching  was  calculated  to  arouse  the 
public  mind  to  the  great  things  of  religion,  and  to  check 
the  growing  worldliness  and  sensuality  of  the  age. 

In  nearly  every  to\Mi  there  were  scores,  in  some,  hun- 
dreds, converted  as  the  result  of  his  preaching.  In  many 
*  Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  138. 


332  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

places  Protestant  churches  of  nearly  all  denominations  were 
thrown  open  to  him;  and  the  invitations  to  labor  usually 
came  from  the  ministers  of  the  several  congregations.  It  was 
his  invariable  rule  not  to  labor  in  any  place  to  which  he 
had  not  been  invited,  yet  he  soon  found  himself  unable  to 
comply  with  half   the   requests   that   poured   in  upon   him. 

Many  who  did  not  accept  his  views  as  to  the  exact  time 
of  the  second  advent,  were  convinced  of  the  certainty  and 
nearness  of  Christ's  coming  and  their  need  of  preparation. 
In  some  of  the  large  cities  his  work  produced  a  marked 
impression.  Liquor-dealers  abandoned  the  traffic,  and  turned 
their  shops  into  meeting-rooms;  gambling  dens  were  broken 
up;  infidels,  deists,  Universal] sts,  and  even  the  most  aban- 
doned profligates  were  reformed,  some  of  whom  had  not  en- 
tered a  house  of  worship  for  years.  Prayer-meetings  were 
established  by  the  various  denominations,  in  different  quar- 
ters, at  almost  every  hour,  business  men  assembling  at 
midday  for  prayer  and  praise.  There  was  no  extravagant 
excitement,  but  an  almost  universal  solemnity  on  the  minds 
of  the  people.  His  work,  like  that  of  the  early  Reformers, 
tended  rather  to  convince  the  understanding  and  arouse  the 
conscience  than  merely  to  excite  the  emotions. 

In  1833  Miller  received  a  license  to  preach,  from  the 
Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  member.  A  large 
number  of  the  ministers  of  his  denomination  also  approved 
his  work,  and  it  was  with  their  formal  sanction  that  he 
continued  his  labors.  He  traveled  and  preached  unceas- 
ingly, though  his  personal  labors  were  confined  principally 
to  the  New  England  and  Middle  States.  For  several  years 
his  expenses  were  met  wholly  from  his  own  private  purse, 
and  he  never  afterward  received  enough  to  meet  the  expense 
of  travel  to  the  places  where  he  was  invited.  Thus  his 
public  labors,  so  far  from  being  a  pecuniary  benefit,  were 
a  heavy  tax  upon  his  property,  which  gradually  dimin- 
ished during  this  period  of  his  life.  He  was  the  father  of 
a  large  family,  but  as  they  were  all  frugal  and  industrious, 
his  farm  sufficed  for  their  maintenance  as  well  as  his  own. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  333 

In  1833,  two  years  after  Miller  began  to  present  in 
public  the  evidences  of  Christ's  soon  coming,  the  last  of 
the  signs  appeared  which  were  promised  by  the  Saviour  as 
tokens  of  His  second  advent.  Said  Jesus,  "The  stars  shall 
fall  from  heaven."'  And  John  in  the  Revelation  declared, 
as  he  beheld  in  vision  the  scenes  that  should  herald  the  day 
of  God,  "The  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as 
a  fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of 
a  mighty  wind."'  This  prophecy  received  a  striking  and 
impressive  fulfilment  in  the  great  meteoric  shower  of  No- 
vember 13,  1833.  That  was  the  most  extensive  and  won- 
derful display  of  falling  stars  which  has  ever  been  recorded; 
"the  whole  firmament,  over  all  the  United  States,  being 
then,  for  hours,  in  fiery  commotion!  No  celestial  phenom- 
enon has  ever  occurred  in  this  country,  since  its  first  set- 
tlement, which  was  viewed  with  such  intense  admiration  by 
one  class  in  the  community,  or  with  so  much  dread  and 
alarm  by  another."  "Its  sublimity  and  awful  beauty  still 
linger  in  many  minds.  .  .  .  Never  did  rain  fall  much 
thicker  than  the  meteors  fell  toward  the  earth;  east,  west, 
north,  and  south,  it  was  the  same.  In  a  word,  the  whole 
heavens  seemed  in  motion.  ...  The  display,  as  described  in 
Professor  Silliman's  Journal,  was  seen  all  over  North  Amer- 
ica. .  .  .  From  two  o'clock  until  broad  daylight,  the  sky 
being  perfectly  serene  and  cloudless,  an  incessant  play  of 
dazzlingly  brilliant  luminosities  was  kept  up  in  the  whole 
heavens. ' ' ' 

"No  language,  indeed,  can  come  up  to  the  splendor  of 
that  magnificent  display;  ...  no  one  who  did  not  witness 
it  can  form  an  ade(iuate  conception  of  its  glory.  It  seemed 
as  if  the  whole  starry  heavens  had  congregated  at  one  point 
near  the  zenith,  and  were  simultaneously  shooting  forth, 
with  the  velocity  of  lightning,  to  every  part  of  the  horizon; 
and  yet  they  were  not  exhausted  —  thousands  swiftly  fol- 
lowed  in   the   tracks   of   thousands,    as   if   created    for   the 

»Matt.  24:29.  "Rev.  6:13. 

'Devens,   R.   M.,    "Ameriean    Progress;    or,   The   Great  Events   of 

the  Greatest   Century,"   ch.   Ii8,   pars.   1-5. 


334  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

occasion. " '  "A  more  correct  picture  of  a  fig-tree  casting 
its  figs  when  blown  by  a  mighty  wind,  it  was  not  possible 
to  behold."' 

In  the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce  of  Nov.  14, 
1833,  appeared  a  long  article  regarding  this  wonderful 
phenomenon,  containing  this  statement:  "No  philosopher  or 
scholar  has  told  or  recorded  an  event,  I  suppose,  like  that 
of  yesterday  morning.  A  prophet  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago  foretold  it  exactly,  if  we  will  be  at  the  trouble  of  under- 
standing stars  falling  to  mean  falling  stars,  ...  in  tiie 
only  sense  in  which  it  is  possible  to  be  literally  true." 

Thus  was  displayed  the  last  of  those  signs  of  His  coming, 
concerning  which  Jesus  bade  His  disciples,  "When  ye  shall 
see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  is  near,  even  at  the  doors."* 
After  these  signs,  John  beheld,  as  the  great  event  next  im- 
pending, the  heavens  departing  as  a  scroll,  while  the  earth 
quaked,  mountains  and  islands  removed  out  of  their  places, 
and  the  wicked  in  terror  sought  to  flee  from  the  presence  of 
the  Son  of  man.* 

Many  who  witnessed  the  falling  of  the  stars,  looked  upon 
it  as  a  herald  of  the  coming  judgment, — "an  awful  type,  a 
sure  forerunner,  a  merciful  sign,  of  that  great  and  dreadful 
day."*  Thus  the  attention  of  the  people  was  directed  to  the 
fulfilment  of  prophecy,  and  many  were  led  to  give  heed  to 
the  warning  of  the  second  advent. 

In  the  year  1840,  another  remarkable  fulfilment  of  proph- 
ecy excited  wide-spread  interest.  Two  years  before,  Josiah 
Litch,  one  of  the  leading  ministers  preaching  the  second 
advent,  published  an  exposition  of  Revelation  9,  predicting 
the  fall  of  the  Ottoman  empire.  According  to  his  calcu- 
lations, this  power  was  to  be  overthrown  "in  a.  d.  1840, 
sometime  in  the  month  of  August;"  and  only  a  few  days 
previous  to  its  accomplishment  he  wrote:  "Allowing  the 
first  period,  150  years,  to  have  been  exactly  fulfilled  before 
Deacozes  ascended  the  throne  by  permission  of  the  Turks, 
and  that  the  391  years,  fifteen  days,  commenced  at  the 
close  of  the  first  period,  it  will  end  on  the  11th  of  August, 

"Heed,  F.,  in  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal,  Dec.  13,  1833. 

•**Tlie  Old  Countryman,"  in  Portland  evening  Advertiser,  Nov.  26,  1833. 

•Matt.  24:33.  •fiev.  6:12-17. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  335 

1840,  when  the  Ottoman  power  in  Constantinople  may  be 
expected  to  be  broken.  And  this,  I  believe,  will  be  found 
to  be  the  case. ' ' ' 

At  the  very  time  specified,  Turkey,  through  her  ambas- 
sadors, accepted  the  protection  of  the  allied  powers  of  Eu- 
rope, and  thus  placed  herself  under  the  control  of  Christian 
nations.  The  event  exactly  fulfilled  the  prediction."  When 
it  became  known,  multitudes  were  convinced  of  the  correct- 
ness of  the  principles  of  prophetic  interpretation  adopted  by 
Miller  and  his  associates,  and  a  wonderful  impetus  was  given 
to  the  Advent  Movement.  Men  of  learning  and  position 
united  with  Miller,  both  in  preaching  and  publishing  his 
views,  and  from  1840  to  1844  the  work  rapidly  extended. 

William  Miller  possessed  strong  mental  powers,  disci- 
plined by  thought  and  study;  and  he  added  to  these  the 
wisdom  of  heaven,  by  connecting  himself  with  the  Source  of 
wisdom.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth,  who  could  not  but 
command  respect  and  esteem  wherever  integrity  of  character 
and  moral  excellence  were  valued.  Uniting  true  kindness 
of  heart  with  Christian  humility  and  the  power  of  self- 
control,  he  was  attentive  and  affable  to  all,  ready  to  listen 
to  the  opinions  of  others,  and  to  weigh  their  arguments. 
Without  passion  or  excitement,  he  tested  all  theories  and 
doctrines  by  the  word  of  God;  and  his  sound  reasoning,  and 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  enabled  him  to  refute 
error  and  expose  falsehood. 

Yet  he  did  not  prosecute  his  work  without  bitter  opposi- 
tion. As  with  earlier  Reformers,  the  truths  which  he  pre- 
sented were  not  received  with  favor  by  popular  religious 
teachers.  As  these  could  not  maintain  their  position  by  the 
Scriptures,  they  were  driven  to  resort  to  the  sayings  and 
doctrines  of  men,  to  the  traditions  of  the  Fathers.  But  the 
word  of  God  was  the  only  testimony  accepted  by  the 
preachers  of  the  advent  truth.  "The  Bible,  and  the  Bible 
only,"  was  their  watchword.  The  lack  of  Scripture  argu- 
jaent  on  the  part  of  their  opponents  was  supplied  by  ridicule 
and  scoffing.    Time,  means,  and  talents  were  employed  in 

*  Litch,  Josiah,  article  in  Signs  of  the  Times,  and  Expositor  of 
Prophecy,  Aug.  1,  1840.  •See  Appendix. 


836  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

maligning  those  whose  only  offense  was  that  they  looked 
with  joy  for  the  return  of  their  Lord,  and  were  striving 
to  live  holy  lives,  and  to  exhort  others  to  prepare  for  His 
appearing. 

Earnest  were  the  efforts  put  forth  to  draw  away  the 
minds  of  the  people  from  the  subject  of  the  second  advent. 
It  was  made  to  appear  a  sin,  something  of  which  men 
should  be  ashamed,  to  study  the  prophecies  which  relate  to 
the  coming  of  Christ  and  the  end  of  the  world.  Thus  the 
popular  ministry  undermined  faith  in  the  word  of  God. 
Their  teaching  made  men  infidels,  and  many  took  license  to 
walk  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts.  Then  the  authors  of  the 
evil  charged  it  all  upon  Adventists. 

While  drawing  crowded  houses  of  intelligent  and  atten- 
tive hearers.  Miller's  name  was  seldom  mentioned  by  the  re- 
ligious press  except  by  way  of  ridicule  or  denunciation.  Tbe 
careless  and  ungodly,  em])oldened  by  the  position  of  religious 
teachers,  resorted  to  opprobrious  epithets,  to  base  and  blas- 
phemous witticisms,  in  their  efforts  to  heap  contumely  upon 
him  and  his  work.  The  gray-headed  man  who  had  left  a 
comfortable  home  to  travel  at  his  own  expense  from  city  to 
city,  from  town  to  town,  toiling  unceasingly  to  bear  to .  the 
world  the  solemn  warning  of  the  judgment  near,  was  sneer- 
ingly  denounced  as  a  fanatic,  a  liar,  a  speculating  knave. 

The  ridicule,  falsehood,  and  abuse  heaped  upon  him 
called  forth  indignant  remonstrance,  eyen  from  the  secular 
pre^s,  "To  treat  a  subject  of  such  overwhelming  majesty 
and  fearful  consequences,"  with  lightness  and  ribaldry,  was 
declared  by  worldly  men  to  be  "not  merely  to  sport  with 
the  feelings  of  its  propagators  and  advocates,"  but  "to 
make  a  jest  of  the  day  of  judgment,  to  scoff  at  the  Deity 
Himself,  and  contemn  the  terrors  of  His  judgment-bar. ' '  * 

The  instigator  of  all  evil  sought  not  only  to  counteract 
the  effect  of  the  advent  message,  but  to  destroy  the  mes- 
senger himself.  ]\Iiller  made  a  practical  application  of 
Scripture  truth  to  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  reproving  their 
^ Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  183. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  337 

sins  and  disturbing  their  self-satisfaction,  and  his  plain  and 
cutting  words  aroused  their  enmity.  The  opposition  man- 
ifested by  church-members  toward  his  message,  emboldened 
the  baser  classes  to  go  to  greater  lengths;  and  enemies 
plotted  to  take  his  life  as  he  should  leave  the  i)lace  of 
meeting.  But  holy  angels  were  in  the  throng,  and  one  of 
these,  in  the  form  of  a  man,  took  the  arm  of  this  servant 
of  the  Lord,  and  led  him  in  safety  from  the  angry  mob. 
His  work  was  not  yet  done,  and  Satan  and  his  emissaries 
were  disappointed  in  their  purpose. 

Despite  all  opposition,  the  interest  in  the  Advent  Move- 
ment had  continued  to  increase.  From  scores  and  hundreds, 
the  congregations  had  grown  to  as  many  thousands.  Large 
accessions  had  been  made  to  the  various  churches,  but  after 
a  time  the  spirit  of  opposition  was  manifested  even  against 
these  converts,  and  the  churches  began  to  take  disciplinary 
steps  with  those  who  had  embraced  Miller's  views.  This 
action  called  forth  a  response  from  his  pen,  in  an  address  to 
Christians  of  all  denominations,  urging  that  if  his  doctrines 
were  false,  he  should  be  shown  his  error  from  the  Scriptures. 

"What  have  we  believed,"  he  said,  "that  we  have  not 
been  commanded  to  believe  by  the  word  of  God,  which  you 
yourselves  allow  is  the  rule,  and  only  rule,  of  our  faith 
and  practice?  "What  have  we  done  that  sliould  cair  down 
such  virulent  denunciations  against  us  from  pulpit  and 
press,  and  give  you  just  cause  to  exclude  us  [Adventists] 
from  your  churches  and  fellowship?"  "If  we  are  wrong, 
pray  show  us  wherein  consists  our  wrong.  Show  us  from 
the  word  of  God  that  we  are  in  error;  we  have  had  ridicule 
enough;  that  can  never  convince  us  tliat  we  are  in  the 
wrong;  the  word  of  God  alone  can  change  our  views.  Our 
conclusions  have  been  formed  deliberately  and  prayerfully, 
as  we  have  seen  the  evidence  in  the  Scriptures,"^ 

From  age  to  age  the  warnings  which  God  has  sent  to  the 
world  by  His  servants  have  been  received  with  like  incre-^ 
dulity  and  unbelief.  "When  the  iniquity  of  the  antediluvians 
>  Bliss,  ' '  Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller, ' '  pp.  250,  252. 


338  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

moved  Him  to  bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  He 
first  made  known  to  them  His  purpose,  that  they  might 
have  opportunity  to  turn  from  their  evil  ways.  For  a 
hundred  and  twenty  years  was  sounded  in  their  ears  the 
warning  to  repent,  lest  the  wrath  of  God  be  manifested  in 
their  destruction.  But  the  message  seemed  to  them  an 
idle  tale,  and  they  believed  it  not.  Emboldened  in  their 
wickedness,  they  mocked  the  messenger  of  God,  made  light 
of  his  entreaties,  and  even  accused  him  of  presumption. 
How  dare  one  man  stand  up  against  all  the  great  men 
of  the  earth?  If  Noah's  message  were  true,  why  did  not 
all  the  world  see  it  and  believe  it?  One  man's  assertion 
against  the  wisdom  of  thousands!  They  would  not  credit 
the  warning,  nor  would  they  seek  shelter  in  the  ark,  "'• 

Scoffers  pointed  to  the  things  of  nature, —  to  the  unvary- 
ing succession  of  the  seasons,  to  the  blue  skies  that  had 
never  poured  out  rain,  to  the  green  fields  refreshed  by  the 
soft  dews  of  night, —  and  they  cried  out,  "Doth  he  not 
speak  parables?"  In  contempt  they  declared  the  preacher 
of  righteousness  to  be  a  wild  enthusiast;  and  they  went  on, 
more  eager  in  their  pursuit  of  pleasure,  more  intent  upon 
their  evil  ways,  than  ever  before.  But  their  unbelief  did 
not  hinder  the  predicted  event.  God  bore  long  with  their 
wickedness,  giving  them  ample  opportunity  for  repentance; 
but  at  the  appointed  time  His  judgments  were  visited  upon 
the  rejecters  of  His  mercy.  'i 

Christ  declares  that  there  will  exist  similar  unbelief 
concerning  His  second  coming.  As  the  people  of  Noah's 
day  "knew  not  until  the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all 
away;  so,"  in  the  w'ords  of  our  Saviour,  "shall  also  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be. ' "  When  the  professed  people 
of  God  are  uniting  with  the  world,  living  as  they  live,  and 
joining  with  them  in  forbidden  pleasure;  when  the  luxury 
of  the  world  becomes  the  luxury  of  the  church ;  when  the 
marriage  bells  are  chiming,  and  all  are  looking  forward  to 
many  years  of  worldly  prosperity, —  then,  suddenly  as  the 

*Matt.  24;39> 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  339 

lightning  flashes  from  the  heavens,  will  come  the  end  of 
their   bright   visions  and  delusive   hopes. 

As  God  sent  His  servant  to  warn  the  world  of  the  com- 
ing flood,  so  He  sent  chosen  messengers  to  make  known  the 
nearness  of  the  flnal  judgment.  And  as  Noah's  contem- 
poraries laughed  to  scorn  the  predictions  of  the  preacher  of 
righteousness,  so  in  Miller's  day  many,  even  of  the  professed 
people,  of  God,  scoffed  at  the  words  of  warning. 

And  why  were  the  doctrine  and  preaching  of  Christ's 
second  coming  so  unwelcome  to  the  churches?  While  to 
the  wicked  the  advent  of  the  Lord  brings  woe  and  desola- 
tion, to  the  righteous  it  is  fraught  with  joy  and  hope.  This 
great  truth  had  been  the  consolation  of  God's  faithful  ones 
through  all  the  ages;  why  had  it  become,  like  its  Author, 
"a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offense"  to  Ilis  pro- 
fessed people?  It  was  our  Lord  Himself  who  promised  His 
disciples,  "If  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come 
again,  and  receive  you  unto  Myself. "  ^  It  was  the  com- 
passionate Saviour,  who,  anticipating  the  loneliness  and 
sorrow  of  His  followers,  commissioned  angels  to  comfort 
them  with  the  assurance  that  He  would  come  again  in 
person,  even  as  He  went  into  heaven.  As  the  disciples  stood 
gazing  intently  upward  to  catch  the  last  glimpse  of  Him 
whom  they  loved,  their  attention  was  arrested  by  the  words, 
"Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven? 
this  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven, 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  Him  go  into 
heaven."^  Hope  was  kindled  afresh  by  the  angel's  message. 
The  disciples  "returned  to  Jerusalem  with  great  joy,  and 
were  continually  in  the  temple,  praising  and  blessing  God. ' '  ^ 
They  were  not  rejoicing  because  Jesus  had  been  separated 
from  them,  and  they  were  left  to  struggle  with  the  trials 
and  temptations  of  the  world,  but  because  of  the  angel's 
assurance  that  He  would  come  again. 

The  proclamation  of  Christ's  coming  should  now  be,  as 
when  made  by  the  angels  to  the  shepherds  of  Bethlehem, 
•John  14:3.  » Acts  1:11.  "Luke  24:52,53. 


340  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

good  tidings  of  great  joy.  Those  who  really  love  the  Sa- 
viour cannot  but  hail  with  gladness  the  announcement 
founded  upon  the  word  of  God,  that  He  in  whom  their  hopes 
of  eternal  life  are  centered,  is  coming  again,  not  to  be  in- 
sulted, despised,  and  rejected,  as  at  His  first  advent,  but 
in  power  and  glory,  to  redeem  His  people.  It  is  those 
who  do  not  love  the  Saviour,  that  desire  Him  to  remain 
away;  and  there  can  be  no  more  conclusive  evidence  that 
the  churches  have  departed  from  God  than  the  irritation 
and  animosity  excited  by  this  Heaven-sent  message. 

Those  wlio  accepted  the  advent  doctrine  were  roused  to 
the  necessity  of  repentance  and  humiliation  before  God. 
Many  had  long  been  halting  between  Christ  and  the  world; 
now  they  felt  that  it  was  time  to  take  a  stand.  "The 
things  of  eternity  assumed  to  them  an  unwonted  reality. 
Heaven  was  brought  near,  and  they  felt  themselves  guilty 
befor3  God."*  Christians  Mere  quickened  to  new  spiritual 
life.  They  were  made  to  feel  that  time  was  short,  that  what 
they  had  to  do  for  their  fellow-men  must  be  done  quickly. 
Earth  receded,  eternity  seemed  to  open  before  them,  and 
the  soul,  with  all  that  pertains  to  its  immortal  weal  or  woe, 
was  felt  to  eclipse  every  temporal  object.  The  Spirit  of  God 
rested  upon  them,  and  gave  power  to  their  earnest  appeals 
to  their  brethren,  as  well  as  to  sinners,  to  prepare  for  the 
day  of  God.  The  silent  testimony  of  their  daily  life  was  a 
constant  rebuke  to  formal  and  unconsecrated  church-mem- 
bers. These  did  not  wish  to  be  disturbed  in  their  pursuit  of 
pleasure,  their  devotion  to  money-making,  and  their  ambi- 
tion for  worldly  honor.  Hence  the  enmity  and  opposition 
excited  against  the  advent  faith  and  those  who  proclaimed  it. 

As  the  arguments  from  the  prophetic  periods  were  found 
to  be  impregnable,  opposers  endeavored  to  discourage  inves- 
tigation of  the  subject,  by  teaching  that  the  prophecies  were 
sealed.  Thus  Protestants  followed  in  the  steps  of  Romanists, 
While  the  papal  church  withholds  the  Bible'  from  the 
people,  Protestant  churches  claimed  that  an  important  part 

» Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  146.  'See  Appendix. 


AN  AMERICAN  REFORMER  341 

of  the  sacred  word  —  and  that  the  part  which  brings  to 
view  truths  specially  applicable  to  our  time  —  could  not 
be  understood. 

;  Ministers  and  people  declared  that  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel  and  the  Revelation  were  incomprehensible  mysteries. 
But  Christ  directed  His  disciples  to  the  words  of  the  prophet 
Daniel  concerning  events  to  take  place  in  their  time,  and 
said,  ' '  Whoso  readeth,  let  him  understand. ' ' '  And  the  as- 
sertion that  the  Revelation  is  a  mystery,  not  to  be  under- 
stood, is  contradicted  by  the  very  title  of  the  book:  "The 
Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto  Him,  to 
show  unto  His  servants  things  which  must  shortly  come  to 
pass.  .  .  .  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the 
words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things  which  are 
written  therein:,  for  the   time  is  at  hand."" 

Says  the  prophet :  ' '  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth ' ' —  there 
are  those  who  will  not  read;  the  blessing  is  not  for  them. 
' '  And  they  that  hear ' ' —  there  are  some,  also,  who  refuse 
to  hear  anything  concerning  the  prophecies;  the  blessing  is 
not  for  this  class.  "And  keep  those  things  which  are 
written  therein ' ' —  many  refuse  to  heed  the  warnings  and 
instructions  contained  in  the  Revelation;  none  of  these  can 
claim  the  blessing  promised.  All  who  ridicule  the  subjects 
of  the  prophecy,  and  mock  at  the  symbols  here  solemnly 
given,  all  who  refuse  to  reform  their  lives,  and  prepare 
for  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  will  be  unblessed. 

In  view  of  the  testimony  of  Inspiration,  how  dare  men 
teach  that  the  Revelation  is  a  mystery,  beyond  the  reach  of 
human  understanding?  It  is  a  mystery  revealed,  a  book 
opened.  The  study  of  the  Revelation  directs  the  mind  to 
the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  and  both  present  most  important 
instruction,  given  of  God  to  men,  concerning  events  t-o 
take  place  at  the  close  of  this  world's  history. 

To  John  were  opened  scenes  of  deep  and  thrilling  interest 
in   the    experience    of   the    church.      He    saw    the    position, 
dangers,  conflicts,  and  final  deliverance  of  the  people  of  God. 
^Matt.  24:15.  ='Eev.  1:1-3. 


342 


THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


He  records  the  closing  messages  which  are  to  ripen  the  har- 
vest of  the  earth,  either  as  sheaves  for  the  heavenly  garner 
or  as  fagots  for  the  fires  of  destruction.  Subjects  of  vast 
importance  were  revealed  to  him,  especially  for  the  last 
church,  that  those  who  should  turn  from  error  to  truth 
might  be  instructed  concerning  the  perils  and  conflicts  be- 
fore them.  None  need  be  in  darkness  in  regard  to  what 
is   coming  upon   the   earth. 

Why,  then,  this  wide-spread  ignorance  concerning  an 
important  part  of  Holy  Writ?  Why  this  general  reluctance 
to  investigate  its  teachings?  It  is  the  result  of  a  studied 
effort  of  the  prince  of  darkness  to  conceal  from  men  that 
which  reveals  his  deceptions.  For  this  reason,  Christ  the 
Revelator,  foreseeing  the  warfare  that  would  be  waged 
against  the  study  of  the  Revelation,  pronounced  a  blessing 
upon  all  who  should  read,  hear,  and  observe  the  words  of 
the  prophecy. 


LIGHT  THROUGH    DARKNESS -19 

The  work  of  God  in  the  earth  presents,  from  age  to  age, 
a  striking  similarity  in  every  great  reformation  or  religious 
movement.  The  principles  of  God's  dealing  with  men  are 
ever  the  same.  The  important  movements  of  the  present 
have  their  parallel  in  those  of  the  past,  and  the  experience 
of  the  church  in  former  ages  has  lessons  of  great  value  for 
our  own  time. 

No  truth  is  more  clearly  taught  in  the  Bible  than  that 
God  by  His  Holy  Spirit  especially  directs  His  servants  on 
earth  in  the  great  movements  for  the  carrying  forward  of 
the  work  of  salvation.  ]\Ien  are  instruments  in  the  hand 
of  God,  employed  by  Him  to  accomplish  His  purposes  of 
grace  and  mercy.  Each  has  his  part  to  act;  to  each  is 
granted  a  measure  of  light,  adapted  to  the  necessities  of  his 
time,  and  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  perform  the  work  which 
God  has  given  him  to  do.  But  no  man,  however  honored  of 
Heaven,  has  ever  attained  to  a  full  understanding  of  the 
great  plan  of  redemption,  or  even  to  a  perfect  appreciation 
of  the  divine  purpose  in  tlie  work  for  his  own  time.  ]\Ien  do 
not  fully  understand  what  God  would  accomplish  by  the 
work  which  He  gives  them  to  do ;  they  do  not  comprehend,  in 
all  its  bearings,  the  message  which  they  utter  in  His  name. 

"Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God?  canst  thou  find 
out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection?"  "My  thoughts  are  not 
your  thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways  ^ly  ways,  saith  the 

(343) 


344  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Lord.  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are 
My  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  My  thoughts  than 
your  thoughts."  "I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  like  Me, 
declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from  ancient 
times  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done. ' '  ^ 

Even  the  prophets  who  were  favored  wath  the  special 
illumination  of  the  Spirit,  did  not  fully  comprehend  the 
import  of  the  revelations  committed  to  them.  The  mean- 
ing was  to  be  unfolded  from  age  to  age,  as  the  people  of 
God  should  need  the  instruction  therein  contained. 

Peter,  writing  of  the  salvation  brought  to  light  through 
the  gospel,  says:  Of  this  salvation  "the  prophets  have  in- 
quired and  searched  diligently,  who  prophesied  of  the  grace 
that  should  come  unto  you :  searching  what,  or  what  manner 
of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify, 
when  it  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and 
the  glory  that  should  iolloAv.  Unto  whom  it  was  revealed, 
that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  us  they  did  minister."" 

Yet  while  it  was  not  given  to  the  prophets  to  understand 
fully  the  things  revealed  to  them,  they  earnestly  sought 
to  obtain  all  the  light  which  God  had  been  pleased  to 
make  manifest.  They  "inquired  and  searched  diligently," 
"searching  Avhat,  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  Mdiich  Avas  in  them  did  signify."  What  a  lesson  to 
the  people  of  God  in  the  Christian  age,  for  whose  benefit 
these  prophecies  were  given  to  His  servants!  "Unto  whom 
ft  was  revealed  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  us  they 
did  minister."  Witness  those  holy  men  of  God  as  they 
"inquired  and  searched  diligently"  concerning  revelations 
given  them  for  generations  that  were  yet  unborn.  Contrast 
their  holy  zeal  with  the  listless  unconcern  with  which  the 
favored  ones  of  later  ages  treat  this  gift  of  heaven.  What 
a  rebuke  to  the  ease-loving,  world-loving  indifference  which 
is  content  to  declare  that  the  prophecies  cannot  be  under- 
stood. 

*Job  11:7;  Isa.  55:8,9;  46:9,10.  '1  Peter  1:10-12, 


LIGHT  THROUGH  DARKNESS  845 

Though  the  finite  minds  of  men  are  inadequate  to  enter 
into  the  counsels  of  the  Infinite  One,  or  to  understand  fully 
the  working  out  of  His  purposes,  yet  often  it  is  because  of 
some  error  or  neglect  on  their  own  part,  that  they  so  dimly 
comprehend  the  messages  of  Heaven.  Not  infrequently 
the  minds  of  the  people,  and  even  of  God's  servants,  are  so 
blinded  by  human  opinions,  the  traditions  and  false  teach- 
ing of  men,  that  they  are  able  only  partially  to  grasp  the 
great  things  which  He  has  revealed  in  His  word.  Thus  it 
was  with  the  disciples  of  Christ,  even  when  the  Saviour  was 
with  them  in  person.  Their  minds  had  become  imbued 
with  the  popular  conception  of  the  Messiah  as  a  temporal 
prince,  who  was  to  exalt  Israel  to  the  throne  of  universal 
empire,  and  they  could  not  understand  the  meaning  of  His 
words  foretelling   His  sufferings  and  death. 

Christ  Himself  had  sent  them  forth  with  the  message, 
' '  The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand : 
repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel.*' '  That  message  was  based 
on  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  9.  The  sixty-nine  weeks  were 
declared  by  the  angel  to  extend  to  "the  Messiah  the  Prince," 
and  with  high  hopes  and  joyful  anticipations  the  disciples 
looked  forward  to  the  establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom 
at  Jerusalem,  to  rule  over  the  whole  earth. 

They  preached  the  message  which  Christ  had  committed 
to  them,  though  they  themselves  misapprehended  its  mean- 
ing. Wliile  their  announcement  was  founded  on  Dan.  9 :  25, 
they  did  not  see,  in  the  next  verse  of  the  same  chapter,  that 
Messiah  was  to  be  cut  off'.  From  their  very  birth  their 
hearts  had  been  set  upon  the  anticipated  glory  of  an  earthly 
enipire,  and  this  blinded  tjieir  understanding  alike  to  the 
specifications  of  the  prophecy  and  to  the  words  of  Christ. 

They  performed  their  duty  in  presenting  to  the  Jewish 
nation  the  invitation  of  mercy,  and  then,  at  the  very  time 
when  they  expected  to  see  their  Lord  ascend  the  throne  of 
David,  they  beheld  Him  seized  as  a  malefactor,  scourged, 
derided,    and   condemned,    and   lifted   up    on    the   cross   of 

»Mark  1:15. 


346  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Calvary.  What  despair  and  anguish  wrung  the  hearts  of 
those  disciples  during  the  days  while  their  Lord  was  sleep- 
ing in  the  tomb ! 

Christ  had  come  at  the  exact  time  and  in  the  manner 
foretold  by  prophecy.  The  testimony  of  Scripture  had  been 
fulfilled  in  every  detail  of.  His  ministry.  He  had  preached 
the  message  of  salvation,  and  "His  word  was  with  power." 
The  hearts  of  Ilis  hearers  had  witnessed  that  it  was  of 
Heaven.  The  word  and  the  Spirit  of  God  attested  the 
divine   commission    of   His    Son. 

The  disciples  still  clung  with  undying  affection  to  their 
beloved  Master.  And  yet  their  minds  were  shrouded  in 
uncertainty  and  doubt.  In  their  anguish  they  did  not  then 
recall  the  words  of  Christ  pointing  forward  to  His  suffering 
and  death.  If  Jesus  of  Nazareth  had  been  the  true  Messiah, 
would  they  have  been  thus  plunged  in  grief  and  disappoint- 
ment? This  was  the  question  that  tortured  their  souls 
while  the  Saviour  lay  in  His  sepulcher  during  the  hopeless 
hours  of  that  Sabbath  wliich  intervened  between  His  death 
and  His  resurrection. 

Though  tlie  night  of  sorrow  gathered  dark  about  these 
followers  of  Jesus,  yet  were  they  not  forsaken.  Saith  the 
prophet:  "When  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light 
unto  me.  .  .  .  He  will  bring  me  forth  to  the  light,  and  I 
shall  behold  His  righteousness."  "Yea,  the  darkness  hideth 
not  from  Thee ;  })ut  the  niglit  shineth  as  the  day :  the  dark- 
ness and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  Tliee. ' '  God  hath  spoken : 
"Unto  the  upright  there  ariseth  light  in  the  darkness."  "I 
will  bring  the  l)lind  by  a  way  that  they  knew  not ;  I  will 
lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not  known :  I  will  make 
darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight. 
These  things  wall  I  do  unto  them,  and  not  forsake  them. ' '  * 

The  announcement  which  had  been  made  by  the  disciples 

in  the  name  of  the  Lord  was  in  every  particular  correct, 

and  the  events  to  which  it  pointed  were  even  then  taking 

place.     "The  time  is  fulfilled,  the  kingdom  of  God   is  at 

'Micah  7:8,9;  Ps.  139:12;  112:4;  laa.  42:16. 


LIGHT  THROUGH  DARKNESS  347 

hand,"  had  been  their  message.  At  the  expiration  of  "the 
time" — the  sixty-nine  weeks  of  Daniel  9,  which  were  to 
extend  to  the  Messiah,  "the  Anointed  One" — Christ  had 
received  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit,  after  His  baptism  by 
John  in  Jordan.  And  the  "kingdom  of  God"  which  they 
had  declared  to  be  at  hand,  was  established  by  the  death 
of  Christ.  This  kingdom  was  not,  as  they  had  been  taught 
to  believe,  an  earthly  empire.  Nor  was  it  that  future,  im- 
mortal kingdom  which  shall  be  set  up  when  "the  kingdom 
and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the 
whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High;"  that  everlasting  kingdom,  in  which  "all 
dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  Him."*  As  used  in  the 
Bible,  the  expression  "kingdom  of  God"  is  employed  to  des- 
ignate both  the  kingdom  of  grace  and  the  kingdom  of  glory. 
The  kingdom  of  grace  is  brought  to  view  by  Paul  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  HebrcAvs.  After  pointing  to  Christ,  the  com- 
passionate intercessor  who  is  "touched  with  the  feeling  .of 
our  infirmities,"  the  apostle  says,  "Let  us  therefore  come 
boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace.  "^  The  throne  of  grace  represents  the  king- 
dom of  grace;  for  the  existence  of  a  throne  implies  the  ex- 
istence of  a  kingdom.  In  many  of  His  parables,  Christ 
uses  the  expression,  "the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  to  designate 
the  work  of  divine  grace  upon  the  hearts  of  men. 

So  the  throne  of  glory  represents  the  kingdom  of  glory; 
and  this  kingdom  is  referred  to  in  the  Saviour's  words, 
"When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  His  glory,  and  all  the 
holy  angels  with  Him,  then  sliall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
His  glory:  and  before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations."' 
This  kingdom  is  yet  future.  It  is  not  to  be  set  up  until 
the  second  advent  of  Christ. 

The  kingdom  of  grace  was  instituted  immediately  after 

the  fall  of  man,  when  a  plan  was  devised  for  the  redemption 

of  the  guilty  race.     It  then  existed  in  the  purpose  and  by 

the  promise  of  God;  and  through  faith,  men  could  become 

»Dan.  7:27.  ^Heb.  4:16.  "Matt.  25:31,32. 


348  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

its  subjects.  Yet  it  was  not  actually  established  until  the 
death  of  Christ.  Even  after  entering  upon  His  earthly  mis- 
sion, the  Saviour,  wearied  with  the  stubbornness  and  ingrati- 
tude of  men,  might  have  drawn  back  from  the  sacrifice  of 
Calvary.  In  Gethsemane  the  cup  of  woe  trembled  in  His 
hand.  He  might  even  then  have  wiped  the  blood-sweat  from 
His  brow,  and  have  left  the  guilty  race  to  perish  in  their 
iniquity.  Had  He  done  this,  there  could  have  been  no 
redemption  for  fallen  men.  But  when  the  Saviour  yielded 
up  His  life,  and  with  His  expiring  breath  cried  out,  "It  is 
finished,"  then  the  fulfilment  of  the  plan  of  redemption  was 
assured.  The  promise  of  salvation  made  to  the  sinful  pair 
in  Eden  was  ratified.  The  kingdom  of  grace,  which  had 
before  existed  by  the  promise  of  God,  was  then  established. 

Thus  the  death  of  Christ  —  the  very  event  which  the 
disciples  had  looked  upon  as  the  final  destruction  of  their 
hope  —  was  that  which  made  it  forever  sure.  While  it  had 
brought  them  a  cruel  disappointment,  it  Avas  the  climax  of 
proof  that  their  belief  had  been  correct.  The  event  that 
had  filled  them  with  mourning  and  despair,  was  that  which 
opened  the  door  of  hope  to  every  child  of  Adam,  and  in 
which  centered  the  future  life  and  eternal  happiness  of  all 
God's  faithful  ones  in  all  the  ages. 

Purposes  of  infinite  mercy  were  reaching  their  fulfil- 
ment, even  through  the  disappointment  of  the  disciples. 
"While  their  hearts  had  been  won  by  the  divine  grace  and 
power  of  His  teaching,  who  "spake  as  never  man  spake,"  yet 
intermingled  Avith  the  pure  gold  of  their  love  for  Jesus,  was 
the  base  alloy  of  worldly  pride  and  selfish  ambitions.  Even 
in  the  Passover  chamber,  at  that  solemn  hour  when  their 
INIaster  was  already  entering  the  shadow  of  Gethsemane, 
there  was  "a  strife  among  them,  which  of  them  should  be 
accounted  the  greatest. ' '  *  Their  vision  was  filled  with  the 
throne,  the  crown,  and  the  glory,  while  just  before  them 
lay  the  shame  and  agony  of  the  garden,  the  judgment-hall, 
the  cross  of  Calvary.     It  was  their  pride  of  heart,   their 

^Luke  22:24. 


LIGHT  THROUGH  DARKNESS  349 

thirst  for  worldly  glory,  that  had  led  them  to  cling  so 
tenaciously  to  the  false  teaching  of  their  time,  and  to  pass 
unheeded  the  Saviour's  words  showing  the  true  nature  of 
His  kingdom,  and  pointing  forward  to  His  agony  and  death. 
And  these  errors  resulted  in  the  trial  —  sharp  but  needful 
— •  which  was  permitted  for  their  correction.  Though  the 
disciples  had  mistaken  the  meaning  of  their  message,  and 
had  failed  to  realize  their  expectations,  yet  they  had 
preached  the  warning  given  them  of  God,  and  the  Lord 
would  reward  their  faith  and  honor  their  obedience.  To 
them  was  to  be  intrusted  the  work  of  heralding  to  all 
nations  the  glorious  gospel  of  their  risen  Lord.  It  was 
to  prepare  them  for  this  work,  that  the  experience  which 
seemed  to  them  so  bitter  had  been  permitted. 

After  His  resurrection,  Jesus  appeared  to  His  disciples 
on  the  way  to  Emmaus,  and  "beginning  at  Moses  and  all 
the  prophets.  He  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scrip- 
tures the  things  concerning  Himself. ' ' '  The  hearts  of  the 
disciples  were  stirred.  Faith  was  kindled.  They  were  "be- 
gotten again  unto  a  lively  hope,"  even  before  Jesus  revealed 
Himself  to  them.  It  was  His  purpose  to  enlighten  their 
understanding,  and  to  fasten  their  faith  upon  the  "sure 
Avord  of  prophecy."  He  wished  the  truth  to  take  firm  root 
in  their  minds,  not  merely  because  it  was  supported  by  His 
personal  testimony,  but  because  of  the  unquestionable  evi- 
dence presented  by  the  symbols  and  shadows  of  the  typical 
law,  and  by  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament.  It  was 
needful  for  the  followers  of  Christ  to  have  an  intelligent 
faith,  not  only  in  their  own  behalf,  but  that  they  might 
carry  the  knowledge  of  Christ  to  the  world.  And  as  the 
very  first  step  in  imparting  this  knowledge,  Jesus  directed 
the  disciples  to  "Moses  and  the  prophets."  Such  was  the 
testimony  given  by  the  risen  Saviour  to  the  value  and 
importance  of  the   Old   Testament   Scriptures. 

What  a  change  was  wrought  in  the  hearts  of  the  disci- 
ples, as  they  looked  once  more  on  the  loved  countenance  of 

*Luke  24:27. 


860  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

their  Master !  ^  In  a  more  complete  and  perfect  sense  than 
ever  before,  they  had  "found  Him,  of  whom  Moses  in  the 
law,  and  the  prophets,  did  write."  The  uncertainty,  the 
anguish,  the  despair,  gave  place  to  perfect  assurance,  to 
unclouded  faith.  What  marvel  that  after  His  ascension 
they  "were  continually  in  the  temple,  praising  and  bless- 
ing God."  The  people,  knowing  only  of  the  Saviour's  igno- 
minious death,  looked  to  see  in  their  faces  the  expression 
of  sorrow,  confusion,  and  defeat ;  but  they  saw  there  gladness 
and  triumph.  What  a  preparation  these  disciples  had 
received  for  the  work  before  them !  They  had  passed  through 
the  deepest  trial  which  it  was  possible  for  them  to  experience, 
and  had  seen  how,  when  to  human  vision  all  Avas  lost,  the 
word  of  God  had  been  triumphantly  accomplished.  Hence- 
forward what  could  daunt  their  faith,  or  chill  the  ardor  of 
their  love?  In  the  keenest  sorrow  they  had  "strong  consola- 
tion," a  hope  which  was  as  "an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure 
and  steadfast. ' ' '  They  had  been  witness  to  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  God,  and  they  were  ' '  persuaded,  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things 
present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,"  would  be  able  to  separate  them  from  "the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  "In  all 
these  things,"  they  said,  "we  are  more  than  conquerors 
through  Him  that  loved  us. "  ^  "  The  word  of  the  Lord 
endureth  forever."*  And  "who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It 
is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is 
even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  interces- 
sion for  us."* 

Saith  the  Lord:  "My  people  shall  never  be  ashamed."' 
"Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning. ' ' '  When  on  His  resurrection  day  these  disciples 
met  the  Saviour,  and  their  hearts  burned  within  them  as  they 
listened  to  His  words;  when  they  looked  upon  the  head 
and  hands  and  feet  that  had  been  bruised  for  them;  when, 
before  His  ascension,  Jesus  led  them  out  as  far  as  Bethany, 

»Luke  24:32.  =  Heb.  6:18,19.  «Eom.  8:38,39,37. 

*1  Peter  1:25.        "Rom.  8:34.         •Joel  2:26.         'Ps.  30:5. 


LIGHT  THROUGH  DARKNESS  351 

and  lifting  up  His  hands  in  blessing,  bade  them,  "Go  ye  into 
all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel,"  adding,  "Lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway;"'  when  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  prom- 
ised Comforter  descended,  and  the  power  from  on  high  was 
given,  and  the  souls  of  the  believers  thrilled  with  the  con- 
scious presence  of  their  ascended  Lord, —  then,  even  though, 
like  His,  their  pathway  led  through  sacrifice  and  martyrdom, 
would  they  have  exchanged  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  of 
His  grace,  with  the  "crown  of  righteousness"  to  be  received 
at  His  coming,  for  the  glory  of  an  earthly  throne,  which 
had  been  the  hope  of  their  earlier  discipleship  ?  He  who  is 
"able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or 
think,"  had  granted  them,  with  the  fellowship  of  His  suffer- 
ings, the  communion  of  His  joy, —  the  joy  of  "bringing  many 
sons  unto  glory,"  joy  unspeakable,  "an  eternal  weight  of 
glory,"  to  which,  says  Paul,  "our  light  affliction,  which  is 
but  for  a  moment,"  is  "not  worthy  to  be  compared." 

The  experience  of  tlie  disciples  who  preached  the  "gospel 
of  the  kingdom"  at  the  first  advent  of  Christ,  had  its 
counterpart  in  the  experience  of  those  who  proclaimed  the 
message  of  His  second  advent.  As  the  disciples  went  out 
preaching,  "The  time  is  fulfilled,  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
at  hand,"  so  Miller  and  his  associates  proclaimed  that  the 
longest  and  last  prophetic  period  brought  to  view  in  the 
Bible  was  about  to  expire,  that  the  judgment  was  at  hand, 
and  the  everlasting  kingdom  was  to  be  ushered  in.  The 
preaching  of  the  disciples  in  regard  to  time  was  based  on 
the  seventy  weeks  of  Daniel  9.  The  message  given  by 
Miller  and  his  associates  announced  the  termination  of  the 
2300  days  of  Dan.  8:14,  of  which  the  seventy  weeks  form  a 
part.  Tlie  preaching  of  each  was  based  u])on  the  fulfilment 
of  a  different  portion  of  the  same  great  prophetic   period. 

Like  the  first  disciples,  William  Miller  and  his  associates 
did  not,  themselves,  fully  comprehend  the  import  of  the 
message  which  they  bore.  Errors  that  had  been  long  estab- 
lished in  the  church  prevented  them  from  arriving  at  a  cor- 
'Mark  1U:15:  Matt.  28:20. 


g52  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

rect  interpretation  of  an  important  point  in  the  prophecy. 
Therefore,  though  they  proclaimed  the  message  which  God 
had  committed  to  them  to  be  given  to  the  world,  yet  through 
a  misapprehension  of  its  meaning,  they  suffered  disappoint- 
ment. 

In  explaining  Dan.  8:1-4,  "Unto  two  thousand  and  three 
hundred  days,  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed,"  Miller, 
as  has  been  stated,  adopted  the  generally  received  view  that 
the  earth  is  the  sanctuary,  and  he  believed  that  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary  represented  the  purification  of  the  earth  by 
fire  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  When,  therefore,  he  found 
that  the  close  of  the  2300  days  was  definitely  foretold,  he 
concluded  that  this  revealed  the  time  of  the  second  advent. 
His  error  resulted  from  accepting  the  popular  view  as  to 
what  constitutes  the  sanctuary. 

In  the  typical  system,  which  was  a  shadow  of  the  sacri- 
fice and  priosthood  of  Christ,  the  cleansing  of  the  sanc- 
tuary was  the  last  service  performed  hy  the  high  priest  in 
the  yearly  round  of  ministration.  It  was  the  closing  work 
of  the  atonement, —  a  removal  or  putting  away  of  sin  from 
Israel.  It  prefigured  the  closing  work  in  the  ministration 
of  our  High  Priest  in  heaven,  in  the  removal  or  blotting 
out  of  the  sins  of  His  people,  which  are  registered  in  the 
heavenly  records.  This  service  involves  a  work  of  investi- 
gation, a  work  of  judgment;  and  it  immediately  precedes 
the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory;  for  when  He  comes,  every  case  has  been 
decided.  Says  Jesus,  '"Sly  reward  is  with  Me,  to  give  every 
man  according  as  his  work  shall  be."*  It  is  this  work  of 
judgment,  immediately  preceding  the  second  advent,  that  is 
announced  in  the  first  angel's  message  of  Rev.  14:7,  "Fear 
God,  and  give  glory  to  Him;  for  the  hour  of  His  judgment 
is  come." 

Those  who  proclaimed  this  warning  gave  the  right  mes- 
sage at  the  right  time.  But  as  the  early  disciples  declared, 
"The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand," 

>Eev.  22:12. 


LIGHT  THROUGH  DARKNESS  353 

based  on  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  9,  while  they  failed  to  per- 
ceive that  the  death  of  the  Messiah  was  foretold  in  the  same 
scripture;  so  Miller  and  his  associates  preached  the  message 
based  on  Dan,  8 :14  and  Rev.  14 :7,  and  failed  to  see  that 
there  were  still  other  messages  brought  to  view  in  Revela- 
tion 14,  which  were  also  to  be  given  before  the  advent  of  the 
Lord.  As  the  disciples  were  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  king- 
dom to  be  set  up  at  the  end  of  the  seventy  weeks,  so  Advent- 
ists  were  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  event  to  take  place  at 
the  expiration  of  the  2300  days.  In  both  cases  there  was  an 
acceptance  of,  or  rather  an  adherence  to,  popular  errors  that 
blinded  the  mind  to  the  truth.  Both  classes  fulfilled  the 
will  of  God  in  delivering  the  message  which  He  desired  to 
be  given,  and  both,  through  their  own  misapprehension  of 
their  message,  suffered  disappointment. 

Yet  God  accomplished  His  own  beneficent  purpose  in  per- 
mitting the  warning  of  the  judgment  to  be  given  just  as  it 
was.  The  great  day  was  at  hand,  and  in  His  providence  the 
people  were  brouglit  to  the  test  of  a  definite  time,  in  order 
to  reveal  to  them  what  w^as  in  their  hearts.  The  message 
Avas  designed  for  the  testing  and  purification  of  the  church. 
They  were  to  be  led  to  see  whether  their  affections  were  set 
upon  this  world  or  upon  Christ  and  heaven.  They  professed 
to  love  the  Saviour;  now  they  were  to  prove  their  love. 
Were  they  ready  to  renounce  their  worldly  hopes  and  ambi- 
tions, and  welcome  with  joy  the  advent  of  their  Lord?  The 
message  was  designed  to  enable  them  to  discern  their  true 
spiritual  state;  it  was  sent  in  mercy  to  arouse  them  to  seek 
the  Lord  with  repentance  and  humiliation. 

The  disappointment  also,  though  the  result  of  their  own 
misappreliensiou  of  the  message  which  they  gave,  was  to  be 
overruled  for  good.  It  would  test  the  hearts  of  those  who 
liad  professed  to  receive  tlie  warning.  In  the  face  of  their 
disappointment,  w^ould  they  rashly  give  up  their  experience, 
and  cast  away  their  confidence  in  God's  word?  or  would 
they,  in  prayer  and  humility,  seek  to  discern  where  they 

12— G.C. 


354  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

had  failed  to  comprehend  the  significance  of  the  prophecy? 
How  many  had  moved  from  fear,  or  from  impulse  and  ex- 
citement? How  many  were  half-hearted  and  unbelieving? 
Multitudes  professed  to  love  the  appearing  of  the  Lord. 
When  called  to  endure  the  scoffs  and  reproach  of  the  world, 
and  the  test  of  delay  and  disappointment,  would  they 
renounce  the  faith?  Because  they  did  not  immediately  un- 
derstand tlie  dealings  of  God  with  them,  would  they  cast 
aside  truths  sustained  by  the  clearest  testimony  of  His  word? 

This  test  would  reveal  the  strength  of  those  who  with  real 
faith  had  obeyed  what  they  believed  to  be  the  teaching  of 
the  word  and  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  would  teach  them,  as 
only  such  an  experience  could,  the  danger  of  accepting  the 
theories  and  interpretations  of  men,  instead  of  making  the 
Bible  its  owti  interpreter.  To  the  children  of  faith  the  per- 
plexity and  sorrow  resulting  from  their  error,  would  work 
the  needed  correction.  They  would  ])e  led  to  a  closer  study 
of  the  prophetic  word.  They  would  be  taught  to  examine 
more  carefully  the  foundation  of  their  faith,  and  to  reject 
everything,  however  widely  accepted  by  the  (Jhristian  world, 
that  was  not  founded  upon  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

With  these  believers,  as  ■wdth  the  first  disciples,  that  wliich 
in  the  hour  of  trial  seemed  dark  to  their  understanding, 
would  afterward, be  made  plain.  When  they  should  see  the 
"end  of  the  Lord,"  they  would  know  that  notwithstanding 
the  trial  resulting  from  their  errors.  His  purposes  of  love 
toward  them  had  been  steadily  fulfilling.  They  would  learn 
by  a  blessed  experience  that  He  is  "very  pitiful,  and  of, 
tender  mercy;"  that  all  His  paths  "are  mercy  and  truth 
unto  such  as  keep  His  covenant  and  His  testimonies." 


o-at 


A  GREAT   RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING -20 

A  GREAT  religious  awakening  under  the  proclamation  of 
Christ's  soon  coming,  is  foretold  in  the  prophecy  of  the  first 
angel's  message  of  Revelation  14.  An  angel  is  seen  flying 
"in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  t^e  earth,  and  to  every 
nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  "With  a 
loud  voice"  he  proclaims  the  message,  "Fear  God,  and  give 
glory  to  Him;  for  the  hour  of  His  judgment  is  come:  and 
worship  Him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  fountains  of  waters. ' '  ^ 

The  fact  that  an  angel  is  said  to  be  the  herald  of  this 
warning,  is  significant.  By  the  purity,  the  glory,  and  the 
power  of  the  heavenly  messenger,  divine  wisdom  has  been 
pleased  to  represent  the  exalted  character  of  the  work  to 
be  accomplished  by  the  message,  and  the  power  and  glory 
that  were  to  attend  it.  And  the  angel's  flight  "in  the 
midst  of  heaven,"  the  "loud  voice"  with  which  the  warn- 
ing is  uttered,  and  its  promulgation  to  all  "that  dwell  on 
the  earth," — "to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue, 
and  people," — give  evidence  of  the  rapidity  and  world- 
wide extent  of  the  movement. 

The  message  itself  sheds  light  as  to  the  time  when  this 
movement  is  to  take  place.  It  is  declared  to  be  a  part  of 
the  "everlasting  gospel;"  and  it  announces  the  opening  of 

»Eev.  14:6,7. 

(355) 


356  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  judgment.  The  message  of  salvation  has  been  preached 
in  all  ages;  but  this  message  is  a  part  of  the  gospel  which 
could  be  proclaimed  only  in  the  last  days,  for  only  then 
would  it  be  true  that  the  hour  of  judgment  had  come.  The 
prophecies  present  a  succession  of  events  leading  down  to 
the  opening  of  the  judgment.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
book  of  Daniel.  But  that  part  of  his  prophecy  which  re- 
lated to  the  last  days,  Daniel  was  bidden  to  close  up  and 
seal  ''to  the  time  of  the  end."  Not  till  we  reach  this  time 
could  a  message  concerning  the  judgment  be  proclaimed, 
based  on  a  fulfilment  of  these  prophecies.  But  at  the  time 
of  the  end,  says  the  prophet,  "many  shall  run  to  and  fro, 
and  knowledge  shall  be  increased. ' '  * 

The  apostle  Paul  warned  the  church  not  to  look  for  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  his  day.  "That  day  shall  not  come," 
he  says,  "except  there  come  a  falling  away  first,  and  that 
man  of  sin  be  revealed."'  Not  till  after  the  great  apostasy, 
and  the  long  period  of  the  reign  of  the  "man  of  sin,"  can  we 
look  for  the  advent  of  our  Lord.  The  "man  of  sin,"  which 
is  also  styled  the  "mystery  of  iniquity,"  the  "son  of  per- 
dition," and  "that  \ncked, "  represents  the  papacy,  which, 
as  foretold  in  prophecy,  was  to  maintain  its  supremacy  for 
1260  years.  This  period  ended  in  1798.  The  coming  of 
Christ  could  not  take  place  before  that  time.  Paul  covers 
with  his  caution  the  whole  of  the  Christian  dispensation 
down  to  the  year  1798.  It  is  this  side  of  that  time  that 
the  message  of  Christ's  second  coming  is  to  be  proclaimed. 

No  such  message  has  ever  been  given  in  past  ages.  Paul, 
as  we  have  seen,  did  not  preach  it;  he  pointed  his  brethren 
into  the  then  far-distant  future  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 
The  Reformers  did  not  proclaim  it.  Martin  Luther  placed 
the  judgment  about  three  hundred  years  in  the  future 
from  his  day.  But  since  1798  the  book  of  Daniel  has  been 
unsealed,  knowledge  of  the  prophecies  has  increased,  and 
many  have  proclaimed  the  solemn  message  of  the  judg- 
ment near. 

»Dan.  12:4.  *2  Thess.  2:3. 


A  GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  357 

Like  the  great  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
Advent  Movement  appeared  in  different  countries  of  Chris- 
tendom at  the  same  time.  In  both  Europe  and  America, 
men  of  faith  and  prayer  were  led  to  the  study  of  the 
prophecies,  and  tracing  down  the  inspired  record,  they  saw 
convincing  evidence  that  the  end  of  all  things  was  at  hand. 
In  different  lands  tliere  were  isolated  bodies  of  Christians 
who,  solely  by  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  arrived  at  the 
belief  that  the  Saviour's  advent  Mas  near. 

In  1821,  three  years  after  Miller  had  arrived  at  his  expo- 
sition of  the  prophecies  pointing  to  the  time  of  the  judgment. 
Dr.  Joseph  Wolff,  "the  missionary  to  the  world,"  began 
to  proclaim  the  Lord's  soon  coming.  Wolff  was  born  in 
Germany,  of  Hebrew  parentage,  his  father  being  a  Jewish 
rabbi.  While  very  young,  he  was  convinced  of  the  truth 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Of  an  active,  inquiring  mind,  he 
had  been  an  eager  listener  to  the  conversations  that  took 
place  in  his  father's  house,  as  devout  Hebrews  daily  assem- 
bled to  recount  the  hopes  and  anticipations  of  their  people, 
the  glory  of  the  coming  Messiah,  and  the  restoration  of 
Israel,  One  day  hearing  Jesus  of  Nazareth  mentioned,  the 
boy  inquired  who  He  was.  "A  Jew  of  the  greatest  talent," 
was  the  answer;  "but  as  He  pretended  to  be  the  Messiah, 
the  Jewish  tribunal  sentenced  Him  to  death."  "Why," 
rejoined  the  questioner,  "is  Jerusalem  destroyed,  and  why 
are  we  in  captivity?"  "Alas,  alas!"  answered  his  father, 
"because  the  Jews  murdered  the  prophets."  The  thought 
was  at  once  suggested  to  the  child,  "Perhaps  Jesus  was 
also  a  prophet,  and  the  Jews  killed  Him  when  He  was  in- 
nocent. "  *  So  strong  was  this  feeling,  that  though  forbidden 
to  enter  a  Christian  church,  he  would  often  linger  outside 
to  listen  to  the  preaching. 

When  only  seven  years  old,  he  was  boasting  to  an  aged 
Christian  neighbor  of  the  future  triumph  of  Israel  at  the 
advent  of  the  IMessiah,  when  the  old  man  said  kindly,  "Dear 
boy,  I  will  tell  you  who  the  real  IMessiah  was:  He  was  Jesus 

'"Travels  and  Adventures  of  the  Rev,  Joseph  WoIfiF," 
Vol.  I,  p.  6    (ed.  1860). 


358  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  Nazareth,  ...  whom  your  ancestors  have  crucified,  as 
they  did  the  prophets  of  old.  Go  home  and  read  the  fifty- 
third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  and  you  will  be  convinced  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God."*  Conviction  at  once  fast- 
ened upon  him.  He  went  home  and  read  the  scripture, 
wondering  to  see  how  perfectly  it  had  been  fulfilled  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Were  the  words  of  the  Christian  true? 
The  boy  asked  of  his  father  an  explanation  of  the  proph- 
ecy, but  was  met  with  a  silence  so  stern  that  he  never  again 
dared  to  refer  to  the  subject.  This,  however,  only  increased 
his  desire  to  know  more  of  the  Christian  religion. 

The  knowledge  he  sought  was  studiously  kept  from  him 
in  his  Jewish  home;  but  when  only  eleven  years  old,  he  left 
his  father's  house,  and  went  out  into  the  world  to  gain  for 
himself  an  education,  to  choose  his  religion  and  his  life-work. 
He  found  a  home  for  a  time  with  kinsmen,  but  was  soon 
driven  from  them  as  an  apostate,  and  alone  and  penniless 
he  had  to  make  his  own  way  among  strangers.  He  went 
from  place  to  place,  studying  diligently,  and  maintaining 
himself  by  teaching  Hebrew.  Through  the  influence  of  a 
Catholic  instructor,  he  was  led  to  accept  the  Romish  faith, 
and  formed  the  purpose  of  becoming  a  missionary  to  his 
own  people.  With  this  object  he  went,  a  few  years  later,  to 
pursue  his  studies  in  the  College  of  the  Propaganda  at  Rome. 
Here  his  habit  of  independent  thought  and  candid  speech 
brought  upon  him  the  imputation  of  heresy.  He  openly 
attacked  the  abuses  of  the  church,  and  urged  the  necessity 
of  reform.  Though  at  first  treated  with  special  favor  by  the 
papal  dignitaries,  he  was  after  a  time  removed  from  Rome. 
Under  the  surveillance  of  the  church  he  went  from  place  to 
place,  until  it  became  evident  that  he  could  never  be  brought 
to  submit  to  the  bondage  of  Romanism.  He  was  declared 
to  be  incorrigible,  and  was  left  at  liberty  to  go  where  he 
pleased.  He  now  made  his  way  to  England,  and  profess- 
ing the  Protestant  faith,  united  with  the  English  Church. 
After  two  years'  study  he  set  out,  in  1821,  upon  his  mission. 
»" Travels  and  Adventures  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,"  Vol.  I,  p.  7. 


A  GREAT  JIELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  359 

While  Wolff  accepted  the  great  truth  of  Christ's  first 
advent  as  "a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief," 
he  saw  that  the  prophecies  bring  to  view  with  equal  clear- 
ness His  second  advent  with  power  and  glory.  And  while  he 
sought  to  lead  his  people  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  Prom- 
ised One,  and  to  point  them  to  His  first  coming  in  humilia- 
tion as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men,  he  taught  them  also  of 
His  second  coming  as  a  king  and  deliverer. 

"Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  true  Messiah,"  he  said,  "whose 
hands  and  feet  were  pierced,  who  was  brought  like  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  who  was  the  IMan  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief,  who  after  the  sceptej  was  taken  from  Judah,  and 
the  legislative  power  from  between  his  feet,  came  the  first 
time;  shall  come  the  second  time  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
and  with  the  trump  of  the  Archangel,"*  "and  shall  stand 
upon  the  Mount  of  Olives;  and  that  dominion,  once  con- 
signed to  Adam  over  the  creation,  and  forfeited  by  him 
(Gen.  1:26;  3:17),  shall  be  given  to  Jesus.  He  shall  be 
king  over  all  the  eartli.  The  groanings  and  lamentations 
of  the  creation  shall  cease,  but  songs  of  praises  and  thanks- 
givings shall  be  heard.  .  .  .  When  Jesus  comes  in  the  glory 
of  His  Father,  with  the  holy  angels,  .  .  .  the  dead  be- 
lievers shall  rise  first.  1  Thess.  4:16;  1  Cor.  15 :  23.  This 
is  w^hat  we  Christians  call  the  first  resurrection.  Then  the 
animal  kingdom  shall  change  its  nature  (Isa.  11:. 6-9),  and 
be  subdued  unto  Jesus.  Psalm  8.  Universal  peace  shall 
prevail."*  "The  Lord  again  shall  look  down  upon  the  earth, 
and  say,  'Behold,  it  is  very  good.'  "* 

Wolff  believed  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  be  at  hand, 
his  interpretation  of  the  i)rophetic  periods  placing  the  great 
consummation  within  a  very  few  years  of  the  time  pointed 
out  by  Miller.  To  those  who  urged  from  the  scripture,  "Of 
that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man,"  that  men  are  to  know 
nothing  concerning  the  nearness  of  the  advent,  Wolff  re- 
plied: "Did  our  Lord  say  that  that  day  and  hour  should 
never  be  known?    Did  He  not  give  us  signs  of  the  times,  in 

*  Wolff,  "Researches  and  Missionary  Labors,"  p.  62  (ed.  1835). 

""Journal  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,"  pp.  378,  379  (ed.  1839). 

•Idem,  p.  29 i. 


360  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY  ^ 

order  that  we  may  know  at  least  the  approach  of  His  coining, 
as  one  knows  the  approach  of  the  summer  by  the  fig-tree 
putting  forth  its  leaves  1  Matt.  24 :  32.  Are  we  never  to 
know  that  period,  whilst  He  Himself  exhorteth  us  not  only 
to  read  Daniel  the  prophet,  but  to  understand  it?  and  in 
that  very  Daniel,  where  it  is  said  that  the  words  were  shut 
up  to  the  time  of  the  end  (which  was  the  case  in  his  time), 
and  that  'many  sliall  run  to  and  fro'  (a  Hebrew  expression 
for  observing  and  thinking  upon  the  time),  'and  knowledge' 
(regarding  that  time)  'shall  be  increased.'  Dan.  12:4,  Be- 
sides this,  our  Lord  does  not  intend  to  say  by  this,  that  the 
approach  of  the  time  shall  not  be  known,  but  that  the 
exact  'day  and  hour  knoweth  no  man.'  Enough,  He  does 
say,  shall  be  known  by  the  signs  of  the  times,  to  induce  us 
to  prepare  for  His  coming,   as  Noah  prepared  the  ark. ' ' ' 

Concerning  the  popular  system  of  interpreting,  or  misin- 
terpreting, the  Scriptures,  Wolff  wrote:  "The  greater  part 
of  the  Christian  church  liave  swerved  from  tlie  plain  sense 
of  Scripture,  and  have  turned  to  the  phantomizing  system  of 
the  Buddhists,  who  believe  tliat  the  future  happiness  of 
mankind  will  consist  in  moving  about  in  the  air,  and  sup- 
pose that  when  they  are  reading  Jews,  they  must  understand 
Gentiles;  and  when  they  read  Jerusalem,  they  must  under- 
stand the  church;  and  if  it  is  said  earth,  it  means  sky;  and 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  they  must  understand  the  prog- 
ress of  the  missionary  societies;  and  going  up  to  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord's  house,  signifies  a  grand  class-meeting  of 
Methodists.'" 

During  the  twenty-four  years  from  1821  to  1845,  "Wolff 
traveled  extensively:  in  Africa,  visiting  Egypt  and  Abys- 
sinia; in  Asia,  traversing  Palestine,  Syria,  Persia,  Bokhara, 
and  India.  He  also  visited  the  United  States,  on  the  jour- 
ney thither  preaching  on  the  island  of  St.  Helena.  He 
arrived  in  New  York  in  August,  1837 ;  and  after  speaking  in 
that  city,  he  preached  in  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  and 
finally  proceeded  to  Washington.  Here,  he  says,  "on  a 
motion  brought  forward  by  the  ex-president,  John   Quincy 

^  Wolff,  "Researches  and  Missionary  Labors,"  pp.  404,  405. 
*"Joarnal  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,"  p.  96. 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  361 

Adams,  in  one  of  the  houses  of  Congress,  the  House  unani- 
mously granted  to  me  the  use  of  the  Congress  Hall  for  a 
lecture,  which  I  delivered  on  a  Saturday,  honored  with  the 
presence  of  all  the  members  of  Congress,  and  also  of  the 
bishop  of  Virginia,  and  of  the  clergy  and  citizens  of  Wash- 
ington. The  same  honor  was  granted  to  me  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  government  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania, 
in  whose  presence  I  delivered  lectures  on  my  researches  in 
Asia,  and  also  on  the  personal  reign  of  Jesus  Christ.'" 

Dr.  Wolff  traveled  in  the  most  barbarous  countries,  with- 
out the  protection  of  any  European  authority,  enduring 
many  hardships,  and  surrounded  with  countless  perils.  He 
was  bastinadoed  and  starved,  sold  as  a  slave,  and  three  times 
condemned  to  death.  He  was  beset  by  robbers,  and  some- 
times nearly  perished  from  thirst.  Once  he  was  stripped 
of  all  that  he  possessed,  and  left  to  travel  hundreds  of 
miles  on  foot  through  the  mountains,  the  snow  beating  in 
his  face,  and  his  naked  feet  benumbed  by  contact  wuth  the 
frozen  ground. 

When  warned  against  going  unarmed  among  savage  and 
hostile  tribes,  he  declared  himself  "provided  with  arms," — 
"prayer,  zeal  for  Christ,  and  confidence  in  His  help."  "1 
am  also,"  he  said,  "provided  with  the  love  of  God  and  my 
neighbor  in  my  heart,  and  the  Bible  is  in  my  hand.  "^  The 
Bible  in  Hebrew  and  English  he  carried  with  him  wherever 
he  went.  Of  one  of  his  later  journeys  he  says,  "I  .  .  . 
kept  the  Bible  open  in  ray  hand.  I  felt  my  power  was  in 
the  book,  and  that  its  might  would  sustain  me."' 

Thus  he  persevered  in  his  labors  until  the  message  of 
the  judgment  had  been  carried  to  a  large  part  of  the  hab- 
itable globe.  Among  Jews,  Turks,  Parsees,  Hindoos,  and 
many  other  nationalities  and  races,  he  distributed  the  word 
of  God  in  these  various  tongues,  and  everywhere  heralded 
the  approaching  reign  of  the  Messiah. 

In  his  travels  in  Bokhara  he  found  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord's  soon  coming  held  l\y  a  remote  and  isolated  people. 

*  "Journal  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,"  pp.  .'^08,  399. 
» Adams,  W.  H.  D.,  "In  Perils  Oft,"  p.  11)2.  '  hlcni,  p.  201. 


362  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  Arabs  of  Yemen,  he  says,  ''are  in  possession  of  a  book 
called  'Seera, '  which  gives  notice  of  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  and  His  reign  in  glory;  and  they  expect  great  events 
to'  take  place  in  the  year  1840. "  *  "In  Yemen  ...  I  spent 
six  days  with  the  children  of  Rechab.  They  drink  no  wine, 
plant  no  vineyard,  sow  no  seed,  and  live  in  tents,  and  re- 
member good  old  Jonadab,  the  son  of  Rechab;  and  I  found 
in  their  company  children  of  Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan, 
.  .  .  who  expect,  with  the  children  of  Rechab,  the  speedy 
arrival  of  the  Messiah  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. ' ' '' 

A  similar  belief  was  found  by  another  missionary  to  exist 
in  Tartary.  A  Tartar  priest  put  the  question  to  the  mission- 
ary, as  to  when  Christ  would  come  the  second  time.  When 
the  missionary  answered  that  he  knew  nothing  about  it,  the 
priest  seemed  greatly  surprised  at  such  ignorance  in  one  who 
professed  to  be  a  Bible  teacher,  and  stated  his  o^vn  belief, 
founded  on  prophecy,  that  Christ  would  come  about  1844. 

As  early  as  1826  the  advent  message  began  to  be  preached 
in  England.  The  movement  here  did  not  take  so  definite 
a  form  as  in  America;  the  exact  time  of  the  advent  was  not 
so  generally  taught,  but  the  great  truth  of  Christ's  soon  com- 
ing in  power  and  glory  was  extensively  proclaimed.  And 
this  not  among  the  dissenters  and  non-conformists  only. 
Mourant  Brock,  an  English  writer,  states  that  about  seven 
hundred  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  were  engaged 
in  preaching  this  "gospel  of  the  kingdom."  The  message 
pointing  to  1844  as  the  time  of  the  Lord's  coming  was  also 
given  in  Great  Britain.  Advent  publications  from  the 
United  States  were  Mddely  circulated.  Books  and  journals 
were  republished  in  England.  And  in  1842,  Robert  Winter, 
an  Englishman  by  birth,  who  had  received  the  advent  faith 
in  America,  returned  to  his  native  country  to  herald  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  Many  united  with  him  in  the  work, 
and  the  message  of  the  judgment  was  proclaimed  in  various 
parts  of  England. 

» "Journal  of  the  Eev.  Joseph  Wolff,"  p.  377. 
'Idem,  p.  389. 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  363 

In  South  America,  in  the  midst  of  barbarism  and  priest- 
craft, Lacunza,  a  Spaniard  and  a  Jesuit,  found  his  way  to 
the  Scriptures,  and  thus  received  the  truth  of  Christ's  speedy 
return.  Impelled  to  give  the  warning,  yet  desiring  to  escape 
the  censures  of  Rome,  he  published  his  views  under  the 
assumed  name  of  "Rabbi  Ben-Israel,"  representing  himself 
as  a  converted  Jew.  Lacunza  lived  in  tlie  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, but  it  was  about  1825  that  his  book,  having  found  its 
■way  to  London,  was  translated  into  the  English  language. 
Its  publication  served  to  deepen  the  interest  already  awak- 
ening in  England  in  the  subject  of  the  second  advent. 

In  Germany  the  doctrine  had  been  taught  in  the  eight- 
eenth century  by  Bengel,  a  minister  in  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  a  celebrated  biblical  scholar  and  critic.  Upon  com- 
pleting his  education,  Bengel  had  "devoted  himself  to  the 
fitudy  of  theology,  to  which  the  grave  and  religious  tone 
of  his  mind,  deepened  and  strengthened  by  his  early  train- 
ing and  discipline,  naturally  inclined  him.  Like  other 
young  men  of  thoughtful  character,  before  and  since,  he 
had  to  struggle  with  doubts  and  difficulties  of  a  religious 
nature,  and  he  alludes,  with  much  feeling,  to  the  'many 
arrows  which  pierced  his  poor  heart,  and  made  his  youth 
hard  to  bear. '  ' "  Becoming  a  member  of  the  consistory  of 
WUrtemberg,  he  advocated  the  cause  of  religious  liberty. 
"While  maintaining  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  church, 
he  was  an  advocate  for  all  reasonable  freedom  being  ac- 
corded to  those  who  felt  themselves  bound,  on  grounds  of 
conscience,  to  withdraw  from  her  communion. ' ' '  The  good 
effects  of  this  policy  are  still  felt  in  his  native  province. 

It  was  while  i)reparing  a  sermon  from  Revelation  21  for 
"Advent  Sunday"  that  the  light  of  Christ's  second  coming 
broke  in  upon  Bengel 's  mind.  The  prophecies  of  the  Rev- 
elation unfolded  to  his  understanding  as  never  before.  Over- 
whelmed with  a  sense  of  the  stupendous  importance  and 
surpassing  glory  of  the  scenes  presented  by  the  prophet,  he 
was  forced  to  turn  for  a  time  from  the  contemplation  of  the 
*  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  art.  Bengel  (ninth  edition). 


364  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

subject.  In  the  pulpit  it  again  presented  itself  to  him  with 
all  its  vividness  and  power.  From  that  time  he  devotee" 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  prophecies,  especially  those  of 
the  Apocalypse,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  belief  that  they 
pointed  to  the  coming  of  Christ  as  near.  The  date  which 
he  fixed  upon  as  the  time  of  the  second  advent  was  within 
a  very  few  years  of  that  afterward  held  by  Miller. 

Bengel's  writings  have  been  spread  throughout  Christen- 
dom. His  views  of  prophecy  were  quite  generally  received 
in  his  own  state  of  Wiirtemberg,  and  to  some  extent  in 
other  parts  of  Germany  The  movement  continued  after  his 
death,  and  the  advent  message  w^as  heard  in  Germany  at 
the  same  time  that  it  was  attracting  attention  in  other  lands. 
At  an  early  date  some  of  the  believers  went  to  Russia,  and 
there  formed  colonies,  and  the  faith  of  Christ's  soon  coming 
is  still  held  by  the  German  churches  of  that  country. 

The  light  shone  also  in  France  and  Switzerland.  At 
Geneva,  where  Farel  and  Calvin  had  spread  the  truths  of  the 
Reformation,  Gaussen  preached  the  message  of  the  second 
advent.  While  a  student  at  scliool,  Gaussen  had  encountered 
that  spirit  of  rationalism  which  pervaded  all  Europe  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  opening  of  the  nine- 
teenth century;  and  when  he  entered  the  ministry  he  was 
not  only  ignorant  of  true  faith,  but  inclined  to  skepticism. 
In  his  youth  he  had  become  interested  in  the  study  of  proph- 
ecy. After  reading  Rollin's  "Ancient  History,"  his  attention 
was  called  to  the  second  chapter  of  Daniel,  and  he  was 
struck  with  the  wonderful  exactness  with  which  the  proph- 
ecy had  been  fulfilled,  as  seen  in  the  historian's  record. 
Here  was  a  testimony  to  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures, 
which  served  as  an  anchor  to  him  amid  the  perils  of  later 
years.  He  could  not  rest  satisfied  with  the  teachings  of 
rationalism,  and  in  studj'^ing  the  Bible  and  searching  for 
clearer  light  he  was,  after  a  time,  led  to  a  positive  faith. 

As  he  pursued  his  investigation  of  the  prophecies,  he 
arrived  at  the  belief  that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  was  at 
hand.     Impressed   with   the   solemnity   and   importance    of 


A   GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  365 

this  great  truth,  he  desired  to  bring  it  before  the  people ;  but 
the  popular  belief  that  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  are  mys- 
teries and  cannot  be  understood,  was  a  serious  obstacle  in 
his  way.  He  finally  determined  —  as  Farel  had  done  before 
him  in  evangelizing  Geneva  —  to  begin  with  the  children, 
through  whom  he  hoped  to  interest  the  parents. 

"I  desire  this  to  be  understood,"  he  afterward  said, 
speaking  of  his  object  in  this  undertaking,  "it  is  not  be- 
cause of  its  small  importance,  but  on  the  contrary  because 
of  its  great  value,  that  I  wished  to  present  it  in  this  familiar 
form,  and  that  I  addressed  it  to  the  children.  I  desired  to 
be  heard,  and  I  feared  that  I  would  not  be  if  I  addressed 
myself  to  the  grown  people  first."  "I  determined  therefore 
to  go  to  the  youngest.  I  gather  an  audience  of  children;  if 
the  group  enlarges,  if  it  is  seen  that  they  listen,  are  pleased, 
interested,  that  they  understand  and  explain  the  subject,  I 
am  sure  to  have  a  second  circle  soon,  and  in  their  turn, 
grown  people  will  see  that  it  is  worth  their  while  to  sit  down 
and  study.     "When  this  is  done,  the  cause  is  gained. ' '  ^ 

The  effort  was  successful.  As  he  addressed  the  children, 
older  persons  came  to  listen.  The  galleries  of  his  church 
were  filled  with  attentive  hearers.  Among  them  were  men 
of  rank  and  learning,  and  strangers  and  foreigners  visiting 
Geneva;  and  thus  the  message  was  carried  to  other  parts. 

Encouraged  by  this  success,  Gaussen  published  his  les- 
sons, with  the  liope  of  promoting  the  study  of  the  prophetic 
books  in  the  churches  of  the  French-speaking  people.  "To 
publish  instruction  given  to  the  children,"  says  Gaussen,  "is 
to  say  to  adults,  who  too  often  neglect  such  books  under 
the  false  pretense  that  they  are  obscure,  'How  can  they  be 
obscure,  since  your  children  understand  them?'  "  "I  had  a 
great  desire,"  he  adds,  "to  render  a  knowledge  of  the  proph- 
ecies popular  in  our  flocks,  if  possible."  "There  is  no  study, 
indeed,  which  it  seems  to  me  answers  the  needs  of  the  time 
better."  "It  is  by  this  that  we  are  to  prepare  for  the  tribu- 
lation near  at  hand,  and  watch  and  wait  for  Jesus  Christ." 
'Gaussen,  L.,  "Daniel  tlie  Prophet,"  Vol.  II,  Preface. 


366  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Though  one  of  the  most  distinguished  and  beloved  of 
preachers  in  the  French  language,  Gaussen  was  after  a  time 
suspended  from  the  ministry,  his  principal  offense  being  that 
instead  of  the  church's  catechism,  a  tame  and  rationalistic 
manual,  almost  destitute  of  positive  faith,  he  had  used  the 
Bible  in  giving  instruction  to  the  youth.  He  afterward 
became  teacher  in  a  theological  school,  while  on  Sunday 
he  continued  his  work  as .  catechist,  addressing  the  children, 
and  instructing  them  in  the  Scriptures.  His  works  on 
prophecy  also  excited  much  interest.  From  the  professor's 
chair,  through  the  press,  and  in  his  favorite  occupation  as 
teacher  of  children,  he  continued  for  many  years  to  exert 
an  extensive  influence,  and  was  instrumental  in  calling  the 
attention  of  many  to  the  study  of  the  prophecies  which 
showed  that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  was  near, 
f  In  Scandinavia  also  the  advent  message  was  proclaimed, 
and  a  wide-spread  interest  was  kindled.  Many  were  roused 
from  their  careless  security,  to  confess  and  forsake  their  sins, 
and  seek  pardon  in  the  name  of  Christ.  But  the  clergy  of 
the  state  church  opposed  the  movement,  and  through  their 
influence  some  who  preached  the  message  were  thrown  into 
prison.  In  many  places  wliere  the  preachers  of  the  Lord's 
soon  coming  were  thus  silenced,  God  was  pleased  to  send  the 
message,  in  a  miraculous  manner,  through  little  children. 
As  they  were  under  age,  the  law  of  the  state  could  not 
restrain  them,  and  they  were  permitted  to  speak  unmolested. 

The  movement  was  chiefly  among  the  lower  class,  and 
it  was  in  the  humble  dwellings  of  the  laborers  that  the 
people  assembled  to  hear  the  warning.  The  child-preachers 
themselves  were  mostly  poor  cottagers.  Some  of  them  were 
not  more  than  six  or  eight  years  of  age;  and  while  their 
lives  testified  that  they  loved  the  Saviour,  and  were  trying  to 
live  in  obedience  to  God's  holy  requirements,  they  ordinarily 
manifested  only  the  intelligence  and  ability  usually  seen  in 
children  of  that  age.  Wlien  standing  before  the  people, 
however,  it  was  evident  that  they  were  moved  by  an  influ- 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  367 

snce  beyond  their  own  natural  gifts.  Tone  and  manner 
changed,  and  with  solemn  power  they  gave  the  warning  of 
t'xie  judgment,  employing  the  very  words  of  Scripture, 
"P^ear  God,  and  give  glory  to  Him;  for  the  hour  of  His 
judgment  is  come."  They  reproved  the  sins  of  the  people, 
not  only  condemning  immorality  and  vice,  but  rebuking 
worldliness  and  backsliding,  and  warning  their  hearers  to 
make  haste  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

The  people  heard  with  trembling.  The  convicting  Spirit 
of  God  spoke  to  their  hearts.  Many  were  led  to  search  the 
Scriptures  with  new  and  deeper  interest,  the  intemperate 
and  immoral  were  reformed,  others  abandoned  their  dis- 
honest practices,  and  a  work  was  done  so  marked  that  even 
ministers  of  the  state  church  were  forced  to  acknowledge 
that  the  hand  of  God  was  in  the  movement. 

It  was  God's  will  that  the  tidings  of  the  Saviour's  com- 
ing should  be  given  in  the  Scandinavian  countries;  and 
when  the  voices  of  His  servants  were  silenced,  He  put  His 
Spirit  upon  the  children,  that  the  work  might  be  accom- 
plished. When  Jesus  drew  near  to  Jerusalem  attended  by 
the  rejoicing  multitudes  that,  with  shouts  of  triumph  and 
the  waving  of  palm  branches,  heralded  Him  as  the  Son  of 
David,  the  jealous  Pharisees  called  upon  Him  to  silence 
them;  but  Jesus  answered  that  all  this  was  in  fulfilment 
of  prophecy,  and  if  these  should  hold  their  peace,  the  very 
stones  would  cry  out.  The  people,  intimidated  by  the 
threats  of  the  priests  and  rulers,  ceased  their  joyful  procla- 
mation as  they  entered  the  gates  of  Jerusalem;  but  the 
children  in  the  temple  courts  afterward  took  up  the  refrain, 
and  waving  their  branches  of  palm,  they  cried,  "Hosanna 
to  the  Son  of  David ! "  *  When  the  Pharisees,  sorely  dis- 
pleased, said  unto  Him,  "Hearest  Thou  what  these  say?" 
Jesus  answered,  "Yea;  have  ye  never  read,  Out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  Thou  hast  perfected  praise?" 
As  God  wrought  through  children  at  the  time  of  Christ's 
first  advent,  so  He  wrought  through  them  in  giving  the 
»Matt.  21:8-16. 


368  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

message  of  His  second  advent,  God's  word  must  be  ful- 
filled, that  the  proclamation  of  the  Saviour's  coming  should 
be  given  to  all  peoples,  tongues,  and  nations. 

'  '■  To  William  Miller  and  his  co-laborers  it  was  given  to 
pteach  the  warning  in  America.  This  country  became  the 
center  of  the  great  Advent  Movement.  It  was  here  that 
the  prophecy  of  the  first  angel's  message  had  its  most 
direct  fulfilment.  The  writings  of  Miller  and  his  asso- 
ciates were  carried  to  distant  lands.  Wherever  mission- 
aries had  penetrated  in  all  the  world,  were  sent  the  glad 
tidings  of  Christ's  speedy  return.  Far  and  wide  spread 
the  message  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  "Fear  God,  and  give 
glory  to  Ilim;  for  the  hour  of  His  judgment  is  come." 
The  testimony  of  the  prophecies  which  seemed  to  point 
to  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  spring  of  1844,  took  deep  hold 
of  the  minds  of  the  people.  As  the  message  went  from  State 
to  State,  there  was  everywhere  awakened  wide-spread  in- 
terest. Many  were  convinced  that  the  arguments  from  the 
prophetic  periods  were  correct,  and  sacrificing  their  pride  of 
opinion,  they  joyfully  received  the  truth.  Some  ministers 
laid  aside  their  sectarian  views  and  feelings,  left  their  sal- 
aries and  their  churches,  and  united  in  proclaiming  the 
coming  of  Jesus.  There  were  comparatively  few  minis- 
ters, however,  who  would  accept  this  message;  therefore  it 
was  largely  committed  to  humble  laymen.  Farmers  left 
their  fields,  mechanics  their  tools,  traders  their  merchandise, 
professional  men  their  positions;  and  yet  the  number  of 
workers  was  small  in  comparison  with  the  work  to  be  ac- 
complished. The  condition  of  an  ungodly  church  and  a 
world  lying  in  wickedness,  burdened  the  souls  of  the  true 
watchmen,  and  they  willingly  endured  toil,  privation,  and 
suffering,  that  they  might  call  men  to  repentance  unto  sal- 
vation. Though  opposed  by  Satan,  the  work  went  steadily 
forward,  and  the  advent  truth  was  accepted  by  many 
thousands. 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  369 

Everywhere  the  searching  testimony  was  heard,  warning 
sinners,  both  worldlings  and  church-members,  to  flee  from 
the  wrath  to  come.  Like  John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner 
of  Christ,  the  preachers  laid  the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree, 
and  urged  all  to  bring  forth  fruit  meet  for  repentance. 
Their  stirring  appeals  were  in  marked  contrast  to  the  assur- 
ances of  peace  and  safety  that  were  heard  from  popular  pul- 
pits; and  wherever  the  message  was  given,  it  moved  the 
people.  The  simple,  direct  testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  set 
home  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  brought  a  weight  of 
conviction  which  few  were  able  wholly  to  resist.  Professors 
of  religion  were  roused  from  their  false  security.  They  saw 
their  backslidings,  their  worldliness  and  unbelief,  their  pride 
and  selfishness.  ]\Iany  sought  the  Lord  with  repentance  and 
humiliation.  The  affections  that  had  so  long  clung  to 
earthly  things  they  now  fixed  upon  heaven.  The  Spirit  of 
God  rested  upon  them,  and  Avith  hearts  softened  and  sub- 
dued they  joined  to  sound  the  cry,  "Fear  God,  and  give 
glory  to  Him;  for  the  hour  of  His  judgment  is  come." 

Sinners  inquired  with  Aveeping,  "What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  Those  whose  lives  had  been  marked  with  dishon- 
esty were  anxious  to  make  restitution.  All  who  found  peace 
in  Christ  longed  to  see  others  share  the  ])lessing.  The  hearts 
of  parents  were  turned  to  their  children,  and  the  hearts  of 
children  to  their  parents.  The  barriers  of  pride  and  reserve 
were  swept  away.  Heartfelt  confessions  were  made,  and 
the  members  of  the  household  labored  for  the  salvation  of 
those  who  were  nearest  and  dearest.  Often  was  heard  the 
sound  of  earnest  intercession.  Everysvhere  were  souls  in 
deep  anguish,  pleading  with  God.  I\Iany  wrestled  all. night 
in  prayer  for  the  assurance  that  their  own  sins  were  par- 
doned, or  for  the  conversion  of  their  relatives  or  neighbors. 

All  classes  flocked  to  the  Adventist  meetings.  Rich  and 
poor,  high  and  low,  were,  from  various  causes,  anxious  to 
hear  for  themselves  the  doctrine  of  the  second  advent.  The 
Lord  held  the  spirit  of  opposition  in  check  while  His  servants 


370  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

explained  the  reasons  of  their  faith.  Sometimes  the  instru- 
ment was  feeble;  but  the  Spirit  of  God  gave  power  to  His 
truth.  The  presence  of  holy  angels  was  felt  in  these  assem- 
blies, and  many  were  daily  added  to  the  believers.  As  the 
evidences  of  Christ's  soon  coming  M-ere  repeated,  vast  crowds 
listened  in  breathless  silence  to  the  solemn  words.  Heaver 
and  earth  seemed  to  approach  each  other.  The  power  of  God 
was  felt  upon  old  and  young  and  middle-aged.  ]\Ien  sought 
their  homes  with  praises  upon  their  lips,  and  the  glad  sound 
rang  out  upon  the  still  night  air.  None  who  attended  those 
meetings  can  ever  forget  those  scenes  of  deepest  interest. 

The  proclamation  of  a  definite  time  for  Christ's  coming 
called  forth  great  opposition  from  many  of  all  classes,  from 
the  minister  in  the  pulpit  down  to  the  most  reckless.  Heaven- 
daring  sinner.  The  words  of  prophecy  were  fulfilled:  "There 
shall  come  in  the  last  days  scoffers,  walking  after  their 
own  lusts,  and  saying.  Where  is  the  promise  of  His  coming? 
for  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue  as  they 
were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation."*  ]\Iany  who  pro- 
fessed to  love  the  Saviour,  declared  that  they  had  no  oppo- 
sition to  the  doctrine  of  the  second  advent;  they  merely 
objected  to  the  definite  time.  But  God's  all-seeing  eye  read 
their  hearts.  They  did  not  wish  to  hear  of  Christ's  coming 
to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness.  They  had  been  unfaith- 
ful servants,  their  works  would  not  bear  the  inspection  of 
the  heart-searching  God,  and  they  feared  to  meet  their  Lord. 
Like  the  Jews  at  the  time  of  Christ's  first  advent,  they  were 
not  prepared  to  welcome  Jesus.  They  not  only  refused  to 
listen  to  the  plain  arguments  from  the  Bible,  but  ridiculed 
those  who  were  looking  for  the  Lord.  Satan  and  his  angels 
exulted,  and  fiung  the  taunt  in  the  face  of  Christ  and  holy 
angels,  that  His  professed  people  had  so  little  love  for  Him 
that  they  did  not  desire  His  appearing. 

"No  man  knoweth  the  day  nor  the  hour,"  was  the  argu- 
ment most  often  brought  forward  by  rejecters  of  the  advent 
faith.  The  scripture  is,  "Of  that  day  and  hour  knoweth  no 
^2  Peter  3:3,4, 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  37l 

man,  no,  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  but  My  Father  only. " '  A 
clear  and  harmonious  explanation  of  this  text  was  given  by 
those  who  were  looking  for  the  Lord,  and  the  wrong  use 
made  of  it  by  their  opponents  was  clearly  shown.  The 
words  were  spoken  by  Christ  in  that  memorable  conversa- 
tion with  His  disciples  upon  Olivet,  after  He  had  for  the  last 
time  departed  from  the  temple.  The  disciples  had  asked 
the  question,  "What  shall  be  the  sign  of  Thy  coming,  and  of 
the  end  of  the  world  T'  Jesus  gave  them  signs,  and  said, 
"When  ye  shall  see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  is  near, 
even  at  the  doors."'  One  saying  of  the  Saviour  must  not 
be  made  to  destroy  another.  Though  no  man  knoweth  tlie 
day  nor  the  Jiour  of  His  coming,  we  are  instructed  and 
required  to  know  when  it  is  near.  We  are  further  taught 
that  to  disregard  His  warning,  and  refuse  or  neglect  to  know 
when  His  advent  is  near,  will  be  as  fatal  for  us  as  it  was  for 
those  who  lived  in  the  days  of  Noah  not  to  know  wdien  the 
flood  was  coming.  And  the  parable  in  the  same  chapter, 
contrasting  the  faithful  and  the  unfaithful  servant,  and 
giving  the  doom  of  him  who  said  in  his  heart,  "My  Lord 
delayeth  His  coming, ' '  shows  in  what  light  Christ  will  regard 
and  reward  those  whom  He  finds  watching,  and  teaching  His 
coming,  and  those  denying  it.  ' '  Watch  therefore, ' '  He  says ; 
"blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord  when  He  coraetli 
shall  find  so  doing."*  "H"  therefore  thou  shalt  not  watch,  I 
will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what 
hour  I  will  come  upon  thee."' 

Paul  speaks  of  a  class  to  whom  the  Lord's  aj>pearing  will 
come  unawares.  "The  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief 
in  the  night.  For  when  they  shall  say,  Peace  and  safety; 
then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon  them,  .  .  .  and  they 
shall  not  escape."  But  He  adds,  to  those  who  have  given 
heed  to  the  Saviour's  warning,  "Ye,  brethren,  are  not 
in  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief. 
Ye  are  all  the  children  of  light,  and  the  children  of  the 
day :  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor  of  darkness. ' ' ' 

'Matt.  24:36,  3,  33,  42-51.  *Rev.  3:3.  «1  Thess.  5:2-5. 


372  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Thus  it  was  shown  that  Scripture  gives  no  warrant  for 
men  to  remain  in  ignorance  concerning  the  nearness  of 
Christ's  coming.  But  those  who  desired  only  an  excuse  to 
reject  the  truth  closed  their  ears  to  this  explanation;  and 
the  words,  "No  man  knoweth  the  day  nor  the  hour,"  con- 
tinued to  be  echoed  by  the  bold  scoffer,  and  even  by  the 
professed  minister  of  Christ.  As  the  people  were  roused, 
and  began  to  inquire  the  way  of  salvation,  religious  teachers 
stepped  in  between  them  and  the  truth,  seeking  to  quiet 
their  fears  by  falsely  interpreting  the  word  of  God.  Un- 
faithful  Avatclmien  united  in  the  work  of  the  great  deceiver, 
crying,  Peace,  peace,  when  God  had  not  spoken  peace.  Like 
the  Pharisees  in  Christ's  day,  many  refused  t6  enter  the 
kingdom  of  heav'en  themselves,  and  those  who  were  enter- 
ing in,  they  hindered.  The  blood  of  these  souls  will  be 
required  at  their  hand. 

The  most  humble  and  devoted  in  the  churches  were 
usually  the  first  to  receive  the  message.  Those  who  studied 
the  Bible  for  themselves  could  not  but  see  the  unscriptural 
character  of  the  popular  views  of  prophecy;  and  wherever 
the  people  were  not  controlled  by  the  inlluence  of  the  clergy, 
wherever  they  would  search  the  word  of  God  for  themselves, 
the  advent  doctrine  needed  only  to  be  compared  with  the 
Scriptures  to  establish  its  divine  authority. 

Many  were  persecuted  by  their  unbelieving  brethren.  In 
order  to  retain  their  position  in  the  church,  some  consented 
to  l)e  silent  in  regard  to  their  hope;  but  others  felt  that 
loyalty  to  God  forbade  them  thus  to  hide  the  truths  which 
He  had  committed  to  their  trust.  Not  a  few  were  cut  off 
from  the  fellowship  of  the  church  for  no  other  reason  than 
expressing  their  belief  in  the  coming  of  Christ.  Very  pre- 
cious to  those  who  bore  this  trial  of  their  faith  were  the 
words  of  the  prophet,  "Your  brethren  that  hated  you,  that 
cast  you  out  for  My  name's  sake,  said.  Let  the  Lord  be 
glorified:  but  He  shall  appear  to  your  joy,  and  they  shall 
be  ashamed. ' '  * 

*Ida.  66:5. 


A    GREAT  RELIGIOUS  AWAKENING  373 

Angels  of  God  were  watching  with  the  deepest  interest 
the  result  of  the  warning.  "When  there  was  a  general 
rejection  of  the  message  by  the  churches,  angels  turned 
away  in  sadness.  But  there  were  many  who  had  not  yet 
been  tested  in  regard  to  the  advent  truth.  Many  were 
misled  by  husbands,  wives,  parents,  or  children,  and  were 
made  to  believe  it  a  sin  even  to  listen  to  such  heresies  as 
were  taught  by  the  Adventists.  Angels  were  l)idden  to 
keep  faithful  watch  over  these  souls;  for  another  light  was 
yet  to  shine  upon  them  from  the  throne  of  God. 

With  unspeakable  desire  those  who  had  received  the 
message  watched  for  the  coming  of  their  Saviour.  The 
time  when  they  expected  to  meet  Him  was  at  hand.  They 
approached  tliis  hour  with  a  calm  solemnity.  They  rested 
in  sweet  communion  with  God,  an  earnest  of  the  peace  that 
was  to  be  theirs  in  the  bright  hereafter.  None  who  experi- 
enced this  hope  and  trust  can  forget  those  precious  hours  of 
waiting.  For  some  weeks  preceding  the  time,  worldly  busi- 
ness was  for  the  most  part  laid  aside.  The  sincere  believers 
carefully  examined  every  thought  and  emotion  of  their 
hearts  as  if  upon  their  death-beds  and  in  a  few  hours  to  close 
their  eyes  upon  earthly  scenes.  There  was  no  making  of 
' '  ascension  robes ; ' "  but  all  felt  the  need  of  internal  evidence 
that  they  were  prepared  to  meet  the  Saviour;  their  white 
robes  were  purity  of  soul, —  characters  cleansed  from  sin  by 
the  atoning  blood  of  Christ.  Would  that  there  was  still 
with  the  professed  people  of  God  the  same  spirit  of  heart- 
searching,  the  same  earnest,  determined  faith.  Had  they 
continued  thus  to  humble  themselves  before  the  Lord,  and 
press  their  petitions  at  the  mercy-seat,  they  would  be  in 
possession  of  a  far  richer  experience  than  they  now  have. 
There  is  too  little  prayer,  too  little  real  conviction  of  sin, 
and  the  lack  of  living  faith  leaves  many  destitute  of  the 
grace  so  richly  provided  by  our  Redeemer. 

God  designed  to  prove  His  people.  His  hand  covered  a 
mistake  in  the  reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods.  Advent- 
*  See  Appendix. 


374  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ists  did  not  discover  the  error,  nor  was  it  discovered  by  the 
most  learned  of  their  opponents.  The  latter  said:  "Your 
reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods  is  correct.  Some  great 
event  is  about  to  take  place;  but  it  is  not  what  Mr.  Miller 
predicts;  it  is  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  not  the 
second  advent  of  Christ. ' '  ^ 

The  time  of  expectation  passed,  and  Christ  did  not  appear 
for  the  deliverance  of  His  people.  Those  who  with  sincere 
faith  and  love  had  looked  for  their  Saviour,  experienced  a 
bitter  disappointment.  Yet  the  purposes  of  God  were  being 
accomplished :  He  was  testing  the  hearts  of  those  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  waiting  for  His  appearing.  There  were  among 
them  many  wiio  had  been  actuated  by  no  higher  motive 
than  fear.  Their  profession  of  faith  had  not  affected  their 
hearts  or  their  lives.  When  the  expected  event  failed  to 
take  place,  these  persons  declared  that  they  were  not  dis- 
appointed; they  had  never  believed  that  Christ  would  come. 
They  were  among  the  first  to  ridicule  the  sorrow  of  the  true 
believers. 

But  Jesus  and  all  the  heavenly  host  looked  with  love  and 
sympathy  upon  the  tried  and  faithful  yet  disappointed  ones. 
Could  the  veil  separating  the  visible  from  the  invisible 
world  have  been  swept  back,  angels  would  have  been  seen 
drawing  near  to  these  steadfast  souls,  aud  sliielding  them 
from  the  shafts  of  Satan. 

'  See  Appendix. 


si^'a^  <a.  ^s^ '5^  ^^  <V&.'i^'!»^ 


A  WARNING    REdEGTED-21 

In  preaching  the  doctrine  of  the  second  advent,  William 
Miller  and  his  associates  had  labored  with  the  sole  purpose 
of  arousing  men  to  a  preparation  for  the  judgment.  They 
had  sought  to  awaken  professors  of  religion  to  the  true  hope 
of  the  church,  and  to  their  need  of  a  deeper  Christian  ex- 
perience ;  and  they  labored  also  to  awaken  the  unconverted 
to  the  duty  of  immediate  repentance  and  conversion  to  God. 
"They  made  no  attempt  to  convert  men  to  a  sect  or  party  in 
religion.  Hence  they  labored  among  all  parties  and  sects, 
without  interfering  with  their  organization  or  discipline." 

"In  all  my  labors,"  said  Miller,  "I  never  had  the  desire 
or  thought  to  establish  any  separate  interest  from  that  of 
existing  denominations,  or  to  benefit  one  at  the  expense  of 
another.  I  thought  to  benefit  all.  Supposing  that  all  Chris- 
tians would  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  Christ's  coming,  and 
that  those  who  could  not  see  as  I  did  would  not  love  any 
the  less  those  who  should  embrace  this  doctrine,  I  did  not 
conceive  there  would  ever  be  any  necessity  for  separate 
meetings.  My  whole  object  was  a  desire  to  convert  souls  to 
God,  to  notify  the  world  of  a  coming  judgment,  and  to 
induce  my  fellow-men  to  make  that  preparation  of  heart 
which  will  enable  them  to  meet  their  God  in  peace.  The 
great  majority  of  those  who  were  converted  under  my 
labors    united    with    the    various    existing    churches."' 

'Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  p.  328. 

(375) 


376  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

As  his  work  tended  to  build  up  the  churches,  it  was  for 
a  time  regarded  with  favor.  But  as  ministers  and  religious 
leaders  decided  against  the  advent  doctrine,  and  desired  to 
suppress  all  agitation  of  the  subject,  they  not  only  opposed 
it  from  the  pulpit,  but  denied  their  members  the  privilege 
of  attending  preaching  upon  the  second  advent,  or  even  of 
speaking  of  their  hope  in  the  social  meetings  of  the  church. 
Thus  the  believers  found  themselves  in  a  position  of  great 
trial  and  perplexity.  They  loved  their  churches,  and  were 
loath  to  separate  from  them;  but  as  they  saw  the  testimony 
of  God's  word  suppressed,  and  their  right  to  investigate  the 
prophecies  denied,  they  felt  that  loyalty  to  God  forbade 
them  to  submit.  Those  who  sought  to  shut  out  the  testi- 
mony of  God's  word,  they  could  not  regard  as  constituting 
the  church  of  Christ,  "the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth." 
Hence  they  felt  themselves  justified  in  separating  from  their 
former  connection.  In  the  summer  of  1844  about  fifty 
thousand  withdrew  from  the  churches. 

About  this  time  a  marked  change  was  apparent  in  most 
of  the  churches  throughout  the  United  States.  There  had 
been  for  many  years  a  gradual  but  steadily  increasing  con- 
formity to  worldly  practices  and  customs,  and  a  correspond- 
ing decline  in  real  spiritual  life;  but  in  that  year  there  were 
evidences  of  a  sudden  and  marked  declension  in  nearly  all 
the  churches  of  the  land.  While  none  seemed  able  to  sug- 
gest the  cause,  the  fact  itself  was  widely  noted  and  com- 
mented upon,  by  both  the  press  and  the  pulpit. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  Mr. 
Barnes, .  author  of  a  commentary  widely  used,  and  pastor 
of  one  of  the  leading  churches  in  that  city,  "stated  that 
he  had  been  in  the  ministry  for  twenty  years,  and  never, 
till  the  last  communion,  had  he  administered  the  ordinance 
without  receiving  more  or  less  into  the  church.  But  now 
there  are  no  awakenings,  no  conversions,  not  much  apparent 
growth  in  grace  in  professors,  and  none  come  to  his  study 
to  converse  about  the  salvation  of  their  souls.     With  the 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  377 

increase  of  business,  and  the  brightening  prospects  of  com- 
merce and  manufacture,  there  is  an  increase  of  worldly- 
mindedness.     Thus  it  is  with  all  the  denominations." ' 

In  the  month  of  February  of  the  same  year,  Professor 
Finney,  of  Oberlin  College,  said:  "We  have  had  the  fact 
before  our  minds,  that,  in  general,  the  Protestant  churches 
of  our  country,  as  such,  were  either  apathetic  or  hostile  to 
nearly  all  the  moral  reforms  of  the  age.  There  are  par- 
tial exceptions,  yet  not  enough  to  render  the  fact  otherwise 
than  general.  We  have  also  another  corroborated  fact: 
the  almost  universal  absence  of  revival  influence  in  the 
churches.  The  spiritual  apathy  is  almost  all-pervading, 
and  is  fearfully  deep ;  so  the  religious  press  of  the  whole 
land  testifies.  .  ,  .  Very  extensively,  church-members  are  be- 
coming devotees  of  fashion, —  join  hands  with  the  ungodly 
in  parties  of  pleasure,  in  dancing,  in  festivities,  etc.  .  .  . 
But  we  need  not  expand  this  painful  subject.  Suffice  it 
that  the  evidence  thickens  and  rolls  heavily  upon  us,  to 
show  that  the  churclies  generally  are  hecoming  sadly  de- 
generate. They  have  gone  very  far  from  the  Lord,  and 
He  has  withdrawn  Himself  from  them." 

And  a  writer  in  the  Religious  Telescope  testified:  "We 
have  never  witnessed  such  a  general  declension  of  religion 
as  at  the  present.  Truly,  the  church  should  awake,  and 
search  into  the  cause  of  this  affliction;  for  as  an  affliction 
every  one  that  loves  Zion  must  view  it.  When  we  call  to 
mind  how  'few  and  far  between'  cases  of  true  conversion 
are,  and  the  almost  unparalleled  impertinence  and  hardness 
of  sinners,  we  almost  involuntarily  exclaim,  'Has  God  for- 
gotten to  be  gracious  ?  or,  Is  the  door  of  mercy  closed  ? '  " 

Such  a  condition  never  exists  without  cause  in  the 
church  itself.  The  spiritual  darkness  which  falls  upon  na- 
tions, upon  churches  and  individuals,  is  due,  not  to  an  arbi- 
trary withdrawal  of  the  succors  of  divine  grace  on  the  part 
of  God,  but  to  neglect  or  rejection  of  divine  light  on  the 
*  Congregational  Journal,  May  23,  1844. 


378  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

part  of  men.  A  striking  illustration  of  this  truth  is  pre- 
sented in  the  history  of  the  Jewish  people  in  the  time  of 
Christ,  By  their  devotion  to  the  world  and  forgetfulness 
of  God  and  His  word,  their  understanding  had  become 
darkened,  their  hearts  earthly  and  sensual.  Thus  thej^  were 
in  ignorance  concerning  ^Messiah's  advent,  and  in  their  pride 
and  unbelief  they  rejected  the  Redeemer.  God  did  not  even 
then  cut  off  the  Jewish  nation  from  a  knowledge  of,  or  a 
participation  in,  the  blessings  of  salvation.  But  those  who 
rejected  the  truth  lost  all  desire  for  the  gift  of  Heaven, 
They  had  "put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for  darkness," 
until  the  light  which  was  in  them  became  darkness;  and 
how  great  was  that  darkness! 

It  suits  the  policy  of  Satan,  that  men  should  retain  the 
forms  of  religion,  if  but  the  spirit  of  vital  godliness  is  lack- 
ing. After  their  rejection  of  the  gospel,  the  Jews  continued 
zealously  to  maintain  their  ancient  rites,  they  rigorously 
preserved  their  national  exclusiveness,  while  they  them- 
selves could  not  1)11 1  admit  that  the  presence  of  God  was 
no  longer  manifest  among  them.  The  prophecy  of  Daniel 
pointed  so  unmistakal)ly  to  the  time  of  ^Messiah's  coming, 
and  so  directly  foretold  His  death,  that  they  discouraged 
its  study,  and  finally  the  rabbis  pronounced  a  curse  on  all 
who  should  attempt  a  computation  of  the  time.  In  blind- 
ness and  impenitence,  the  people  of  Israel  for  eighteen 
hundred  years  have  stood,  indifferent  to  the  gracious  offers 
of  salvation,  unmindful  of  the  blessings  of  the  gospel,  a 
solemn  and  fearful  warning  of  the  danger  of  rejecting 
light  from  heaven. 

Wherever  the  cause  exists,  the  same  results  will  follow. 
He  who  deliberately  stifles  his  convictions  of  duty  because 
it  interferes  with  his  inclinations,  will  finally  lose  the  power 
to  distinguish  between  truth  and  error.  The  understanding 
becomes  darkened,  the  conscience  callous,  the  heart  hard- 
ened, and  the  soul  is  separated  from  God.  "Where  the  mes- 
sage of  divine  truth  is  spurned  or  slighted,  there  the  church 
will  be  enshrouded  in  darkness;  faith  and  love  grow  cold, 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  379 

and  estrangement  and  dissension  enter.  Church-members 
center  their  interests  and  energies  in  worldly  pursuits,  and 
sinners  become  hardened  in  their  impenitence. 

The  first  angel's  message  of  Revelation  1-4,  announcing 
the  hour  of  God's  judgment,  and  calling  upon  men  to  fear 
and  worship  Him,  was  designed  to  separate  the  professed 
people  of  God  from  the  corrupting  influences  of  the  world, 
and  to  arouse  them  to  see  their  true  condition  of  worldli- 
ness  and  backsliding.  In  this  message,  God  had  sent  to  the 
church  a  warning,  which,  had  it  been  accepted,  would  have 
corrected  the  evils  that  were  shutting  them  away  from  Him. 
Had  they  received  the  message  from  heaven,  humbling 
their  hearts  before  the  Lord,  and  seeking  in  sincerity  a  prep- 
aration to  stand  in  His  presence,  the  Spirit  and  power  of 
God  would  have  been  manifested  among  them.  The  church 
would  again  have  reached  that  blessed  state  of  unity,  faith, 
and  love,  which  existed  in  apostolic  days,  when  the  believers 
"were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul,"  and  "spake  the  word 
of  God  with  boldness,"  when  "the  Lord  added  to  the  church 
daily  such  as  should  be  saved."  * 

If  God's  professed  people  would  receive  the  light  as  it 
shines  upon  them  from  His  word,  they  would  reach  that 
unity  for  which  Christ  prayed,  that  which  the  apostle 
describes,  "the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 
"There  is,"  he  says,  ^'one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as 
ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling;  one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism."" 

Such  wore  the  blessed  results  experienced  by  those  who 
accepted  the  advent  message.  They  came  from  different 
denominations,  and  their  denominational  barriers  Mere 
hurled  to  the  ground;  conflicting  creeds  were  sliivered  to 
atoms;  the  unscriptural  hope  of  a  temporal  millennium  was 
abandoned,  false  views  of  the  second  advent  were  corrected, 
pride  and  conformity  to  the  world  were  swept  away; 
wrongs  were  made  right;  hearts  were  united  in  the  sweet- 
est fellowship,  and  love  and  joy  reigned  supreme.  If  this 
•Acts  4:32,31;   2:47.  =Eph.  4:3-5. 


380  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

doctrine  did  this  for  the  few  who  did  receive  it,  it  would 
have  done  the  same  for  all,  if  all  had  received  it. 

But  the  churches  generally  did  not  accept  the  warning. 
Thair  ministers,  who,  as  ' '  watchmen  unto  the  house  of  Israel, ' ' 
should  have  been  the  first  to  discern  the  tokens  of  Jesus' 
coming,  had  failed  to  learn  the  truth,  either  from  the  testi- 
mony of  the  prophets  or  from  the  signs  of  the  times.  As 
worldly  hopes  and  ambitions  filled  the  heart,  love  for  God 
and  faith  in  His  word  had  grown  cold;  and  when  the  advent 
doctrine  was  presented,  it  only  aroused  their  prejudice  and 
unbelief.  The  fact  that  the  message  was,  to  a  great  extent, 
preached  by  laymen,  was  urged  as  an  argument  against  it. 
As  of  old,  the  plain  testimony  of  God's  word  was  met  with 
the  inquiry,  "Have  any  of  the  rulers  or  of  the  Pharisees 
believed?"  And  finding  how  difficult  a  task  it  was  to  refute 
the  arguments  drawn  from  the  prophetic  periods,  many  dis- 
couraged the  study  of  the  prophecies,  teaching  that  the 
prophetic  books  were  sealed,  and  were  not  to  be  understood. 
Multitudes,  trusting  implicitly  to  their  pastors,  refused  to 
listen  to  the  warning;  and  others,  though  convinced  of  the 
truth,  dared  not  confess  it,  lest  they  should  be  "put  out  of 
the  synagogue."  The  message  which  God  had  sent  for  the 
testing  and  purification  of  the  church,  revealed  all  too  surely 
how  great  was  the  number  who  had  set  their  affections  on 
this  world  rather  than  upon  Christ.  The  ties  which  bound 
them  to  earth  were  stronger  than  the  attractions  heaven- 
ward. They  chose  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  worldly  wis- 
dom, and  turned  away  from  the  heart-searching  message 
of  truth. 

In  refusing  the  warning  of  the  first  angel,  they  rejected 
the  means  which  Heaven  had  provided  for  their  restoration. 
They  spurned  the  gracious  messenger  that  would  have  cor- 
rected the  e^^ls  which  separated  them  from  God,  and  with 
greater  eagerness  they  turned  to  seek  the  friendship  of  the 
world.  Here  was  the  cause  of  that  fearful  condition  of 
worldliness,  backsliding,  and  spiritual  death  which  existed  in 
the  churches  in  1844. 


A    WARNING   REJECTED  38l 

In  Revelation  14,  the  first  angel  is  followed  by  a  second, 
proclaiming,  "Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city, 
because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  her  fornication, ' '  *  The  term  ' '  Babylon ' '  is  derived 
from  "Babel,"  and  signifies  confusion.  It  is  employed  in 
Scripture  to  designate  the  various  forms  of  false  or  apostate 
religion.  In  Revelation  17,  Babylon  is  represented  as  a 
woman, —  a  figure  which  is  used  in  the  Bilile  as  tlie  symbol 
of  a  church,  a  virtuous  woman  representing  a  pure  church,  a 
vile  woman  an  apostate  church. 

In  the  Bible  the  sacred  and  enduring  character  of  the 
relation  that  exists  between  Christ  and  His  church  is  repre- 
sented by  the  union  of  marriage.  The  Lord  has  joined  His 
people  to  Himself  by  a  solemn  covenant.  He  promising  to  be 
their  God,  and  they  pledging  themselves  to  be  His,  and  His 
alone.  He  declares,  "I  will  betroth  thee  unto  Me  forever; 
yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  iinto  Me  in  righteousness,  and  in 
judgment,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and  in  mercies. ' ' '  And 
again,  "I  am  married  unto  you."'  And  Paul  employs  the 
same  figure  in  the  New  Testament  when  he  says,  "I  have 
espoused  you  to  one  husband,  that  I  may  present  you  as  a 
jhaste  virgin  to   Christ. ' '  * 

The  unfaithfulness  of  the  church  to  Christ*  in  permitting 
her  confidence  and  affection  to  be  turned  from  Him,  and 
allowing  the  love  of  worldly  things  to  occupy  the  soul,  is 
likened  to  the  violation  of  the  marriage  vow.  The  sin  of 
Israel  in  departing  from  tlie  Lord  is  i)resented  under  this 
figure;  and  the  wonderful  love  of  God  which  they  thus 
despised  is  touchingly  portrayed:  "I  sware  unto  thee,  and 
entered  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God,  and 
thou  becamest  ]\Iine. "  "And  thou  wast  exceeding  beautiful, 
and  thou  didst  prosper  into  a  kingdom.  And  thy  renown 
went  forth  among  the  heathen  for  thy  beauty :  for  it  was 
perfect  through  ]\Iy  comeliness,  which  I  had  put  upon  thee. 
.  .  .  But  thou  didst  trust  in  thine  own  beauty,  and  playedst 
the  harlot  because  of  thy  renown."     "As  a  wife  treacher' 

>Rev.  14:8.  *Ho8ea  2:19.  "Jer.  3:14.  *2  Cor.  11:2. 


382  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ously  departeth  from  her  husband,  so  have  ye  dealt  treach- 
erously with  Me,  0  house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord;"  "as  a 
wife  that  committeth  adultery,  which  taketh  strangers  in- 
stead of  her  husband. ' '  * 

In  the  New  Testament,  language  very  similar  is  addressed 
to  professed  Christians  who  seek  the  friendship  of  the  world 
above  the  favor  of  God.  Says  the  apostle  James:  ''Ye  adul- 
terers and  adulteresses,  know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of 
the  world  is  enmity  with  God?  whosoever  therefore  will  be 
a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God." 

The  woman  (Babylon)  of  Revelation  17,  is  described  as 
''arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold 
and  precious  stones  and  pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her 
hand  full  of  abominations  and  filthiness:  .  .  .  and  upon 
her  forehead  was  a  name  written,  Mystery,  Babylon  the 
Great,  the  mother  of  harlots."  Says  the  prophet,  "I  saw 
the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints,  and  with 
the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus."  Babylon  is  further 
declared  to  be  "that  great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth.  "^  The  power  that  for  so  many  cen- 
turies maintained  despotic  sway  over  the  monarchs  of  Chris- 
tendom, is  Komo.  The  purple  and  scarlet  color,  the  gold 
and  precious  'stones  and  pearls,  vividly  picture  the  mag- 
nificence and  more  than  kingly  pomp  affected  by  the 
haughty  see  of  Rome.  And  no  other  power  could  be  so 
truly  declared  "drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints"  as 
that  church  which  has  so  cruelly  persecuted  the  followers  of 
Christ.  Babylon  is  also  charged  with  the  sin  of  unlawful 
connection  with  "the  kings  of  the  earth."  It  was  by  depar- 
ture from  the  Lord,  and  alliance  with  the  heathen,  that  the 
Jewish  church  became  a  harlot;  and  Rome,  corrupting  her- 
self in  like  manner  by  seeking  the  support  of  worldly 
poAvers,  receives  a  like  condemnation. 

Babylon  is  said  to  be  "the  mother  of  harlots."  By  her 
daughters  must  be  symbolized  churches  that  cling  to  her  doc- 
trines and  traditions,  and  follow  her  example  of  sacrificing 
»Eze.  16:8,13-15,32;  Jer.  3:20.  'Rev.  17:4-6,  18. 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  383 

the  truth  and  the  approval  of  God,  in  order  to  form  an 
unlawful  alliance  with  the  world.  The  message  of  Revela- 
tion 14,  announcing  the  fall  of  Babylon,  must  apply  to  relig- 
ious bodies  that  were  once  pure  and  have  become  corrupt. 
Since  this  message  follows  the  warning  of  the  judgment,  it 
must  be  given  in  the  last  days;  therefore  it  cannot  refer  to 
the  Roman  Church  alone,  for  that  church  has  been  in  a 
fallen  condition  for  many  centuries.  Furthermore,  in  the 
eighteenth  chapter  of  the  Revelation,  the  people  of  God 
are  called  upon  to  come  out  of  Babylon.  According  to 
this  scripture,  many  of  God's  people  must  still  be  in  Baby- 
lon. And  in  what  religious  bodies  are  the  greater  part  of 
the  followers  of  Christ  now  to  be  found?  Without  doubt, 
in  -the  various  churches  professing  the  Protestant  faith. 
At  the  time  of  their  rise,  these  churches  took  a  noble  stand 
for  God  and  the  truth,  and  His  blessing  was  with  them. 
Even  the  unbelieving  world  was  constrained  to  acknowl- 
edge the  beneficent  results  that  followed  an  acceptance  of 
the  principles  of  the  gospel.  In  tlie  words  of  the  prophet 
to  Israel,  "Thy  renown  went  forth  among  the  heathen  for 
thy  beauty :  for  it  was  perfect  through  My  comeliness,  which 
I  had  put  upon  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God. ' ' '  But  they  fell 
by  the  same  desire  which  was  the  curse  and  ruin  of  Israel, — 
the  desire  of  imitating  the  practices  and  courting  the  friend- 
ship of  the  ungodly.  "Thou  didst  trust  in  thine  own  beauty, 
and  playedst  the  harlot  because  of  thy  renown. ' ' ' 

Many  of  the  Protestant  churches  are  following  Rome's 
example  of  iniquitous  connection  with  "the  kings  of  the 
earth" — the  state  churches,  by  their  relation  to  secular  gov- 
ernments; and  other  denominations,  by  seeking  the  favor  of 
the  world.  And  the  term  "Babylon" — confusion  —  may  be 
appropriately  applied  to  these  bodies,  all  professing  to  derive 
their  doctrines  from  the  Bible,  yet  divided  into  almost  innu- 
merable sects,   with   widely  conliicting  creeds  and   theories. 

Besides  a  sinful  union  with  the  world,  the  churches  that 
separated  from  Rome  present  other  of  her  characteristics. 
'Eze.  16:14,  15. 


384  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

A  Roman  Catholic  work  argues  that  "if  the  Church  of 
Rome  were  ever  guilty  of  idolatry  in  relation  to  the  saints, 
her  daughter,  the  Church  of  England,  stands  guilty  of  the 
same,  which  has  ten  churches  dedicated  to  Mary  for  one 
dedicated  to  Christ. "  ^ 

And  Dr.  Hopkins,  in  "A  Treatise  on  the  Millennium," 
declares:  "There  is  no  reason  to  consider  the  antichristian 
spirit  and  practices  to  be  confined  to  that  which  is  now 
called  the  Church  of  Rome.  The  Protestant  churches  have 
much  of  antichrist  in  them,  and  are  far  from  being  wholly 
reformed  from  .  .  .  corruptions  and  wickedness. ' '  * 

Concerning  the  separation  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
from  Rome,  Dr.  Guthrie  writes:  "Three  hundred  yeaxs  ago, 
our  church,  with  an  open  Bible  on  her  banner,  and  this 
motto,  'Search  the  Scriptures,'  on  her  scroll,  marched  out 
from  the  gates  of  Rome."  Then  he  asks  the  significant 
question,  "Did  they  come  clean  out  of  Babylon?"* 

"The  Cliurch  of  England,"  says  Spurgeon,  "seems  to  be 
eaten  through  and  through  with  sacramentarianism ;  but  non- 
conformity appears  to  be  almost  as  badly  riddled  with  philo- 
sophical infidelity.  Those  of  whom  we  thought  better  things 
are  turning  aside  one  by  one  from  the  fundamentals  of  the 
faith.  Through  and  through,  I  believe,  the  very  heart  of 
England  is  honeycombed  with  a  damnable  infidelity  whicli 
dares  still  go  into  the  pulpit  and  call  itself  Christian." 

What  was  the  origin  of  the  great  apostasy  ?  How  did  the 
cliurch  first  depart  from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel?  By 
conforming  to  the  practices  of  paganism,  to  facilitate  the 
acceptance  of  Christianity  by  the  heathen.  The  apostle 
Paul  declared,  even  in  his  day,  "The  mystery  of  iniquity 
doth  already  work. ' '  *  During  the  lives  of  the  apostles  the 
church  remained  comparatively  pure.  But  "toward  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  second  century  most  of  the  churches  assumed 
a   new   form;  the   first   simplicity   disappeared,    and   insen- 

^Dr.  Challoner,  "The  Catholic  Christian  Instructed,"  Preface,  pp.  21, 
22  (ed.  1897).  =  Hopkins,  Samuel,  "  Works, "  Vol.  II,  p.  328  (ed.  1854). 
•Guthrie,  John,  "The  Gospel  in  Ezekiel,"  p.  237  (Edinburgh  ed.  1857). 

*2  Thess.  2:7. 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  385 

sibly,  as  the  old  disciples  retired  to  their  graves,  their 
children,  along  with  new  converts,.  .  .  .  came  forward  and 
new-modeled  the  cause. "  *  To  secure  converts,  the  exalted 
standard  of  the  Christian  faith  was  lowered,  and  as  the 
result  "a  pagan  flood,  flowing  into  the  church,  carried 
with  it  its  customs,  practices,  and  idols.""  As  the  Christian 
religion  secured  the  favor  and  support  of  secular  rulers, 
it  was  nominally  accepted  by  multitudes;  but  while  in  ap- 
pearance Christians,  many  "remained  in  substance  pagans, 
especially   worshiping   in   secret   their   idols. "  ^ 

Has  not  the  same  process  been  repeated  in  nearly  every 
church  calling  itself  Protestant?  As  its  founders,  those  who 
possessed  the  true  spirit  of  reform,  pass  away,  their  descend- 
ants come  forward  and  "new-model  the  cause."  While 
blindly  clinging  to  the  creed  of  their  fathers  and  refusing  to 
accept  any  truth  in  advance  of  what  they  saw,  the  children 
of  the  reformers  depart  widely  from  their  example  of  humil- 
ity, self-denial,  and  renunciation  of  the  world.  Thus  "the 
first  simplicity  disappears."  A  worldly  flood,  flowing  into 
the  church,  "carries  with  it  its  customs,  practices,  and  idols." 

Alas,  to  what  a  fearful  extent  is  tliat  friendship  of  the 
world  which  is  "enmity  with  God,"  now  cherished  among 
the  professed  followers  of  Christ !  How  widely  have  the 
popular  churches  throughout  Christendom  departed  from 
the  Bible  standard  of  humility,  self-denial,  simplicity,  and 
godliness!  Said  Jolin  Wesley,  in  speaking  of  the  right  use 
of  money:  "Do  not  waste  any  part  of  so  precious  a  talent, 
merely  in  gratifying  the  desire  of  the  eye,  by  superfluous 
or  expensive'  api)arel,  or  by  needless  ornaments.  Waste  no 
part  of  it  in  curiously  adorning  your  houses;  in  superfluous 
or  expensive  furniture ;  in  costly  pictures,  painting,  gild- 
ing. .  .  .  Lay  out  nothing  to  gratify  the  pride  of  life,  to 
gain  tlie  admiration  or  praise  of  men.  ...  'So  long  as 
thou  doest  well  unto  thyself,  men  will  speak  good  of  thee.' 
So  long  as  thou  art  'clothed  in  purple  and  flne  linen,  and 
farest  sumptuously  every  day,'  no  doubt  many  will  applaud 

'Robinaon,  "Robert,  "Ecclesiastical  Eesearches, "  ch.  6,  par.  17 

(ed.  1792,  p.  SI). 

-Gavazzi's  Lectures,  p.  278    (ed.  1854). 

18— o.  a 


386  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

thy  elegance  of  taste,  thy  generosity  and  hospitality.  But 
do  not  buy  their  applause  so  dear.  Rather  be  content  with 
the  honor  that  eometh  from  God, ' ' '  But  in  many  churches 
of  our  time,  such  teaching  is  disregarded. 

A  profession  of  religion  has  become  popular  with  the 
world.  Rulers,  politicians,  lawyers,  doctors,  merchants,  join 
the  church  as  a  means  of  securing  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  society,  and  advancing  their  own  worldly  interests.  Thus 
they  seek  to  cover  all  their  unrighteous  transactions  under 
a  profession  of  Christianity.  The  various  religious  bodies, 
re-enforced  by  the  wealth  and  influence  of  these  baptized 
worldlings,  make  a  still  higher  bid  for  popularity  and 
patronage.  Splendid  churches,  embellished  in  .the  most  ex- 
travagant manner,  are  erected  on  popular  avenues.  The 
worshipers  array  themselves  in  costly  and  fashionable  attire. 
A  high  salary  is  paid  for  a  talented  minister  to  entertain 
and  attract  the  people.  His  sermons  must  not  touch  popu- 
lar sins,  but  be  made  smooth  and  pleasing  for  fashionable 
ears.  Thus  fashionable  sinners  are  enrolled  on  the  church- 
records,  and  fashionable  sins  are  concealed  under  a  pre- 
tense of  godliness. 

Commenting  on  the  present  attitude  of  professed  Chris- 
tians toward  the  world,  a  leading  secular  journal  says:  "In- 
sensibly the  church  has  yielded  to  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and 
adapted  its  forms  of  worship  to  modern  wants."  "All 
things,  indeed,  that  help  to  make  religion  attractive,  the 
church  now  employs  as  its  instruments."  And  a  writer  in 
the  New  York  Independent  speaks  thus  concerning  Method- 
ism as  it  is:  "The  line  of  separation  between  the  godly  and 
the  irreligious  fades  out  into  a  kind  of  penumbra,  and  zeal- 
ous men  on  both  sides  are  toiling  to  obliterate  all  difference 
between  their  modes  of  action  and  enjoyment."  "The 
popularity  of  religion  tends  vastly  to  increase  the  number 
of  those  who  would  secure  its  benefits  without  squarely 
meeting  its  duties." 

*  Wesley's  Works,  Sermon  50,  "The  Use  of  Money." 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  387 

Says  Howard  Crosby:  "It  is  a  matter  of  deep  concern 
that  we  find  Christ's  church  so  little  fulfilling  the  designs 
of  its  Lord.  Just  as  the  ancient  Jews  let  a  familiar  inter- 
course with  the  idolatrous  nations  steal  away  their  hearts 
from  God,  ...  so  the  church  of  Jesus  now  is,  by  its  false 
partnerships  with  an  unbelieving  world,  giving  up  the  di- 
vine methods  of  its  true  life,  and  yielding  itself  to  the  per- 
nicious, though  often  plausible,  habits  of  a  Christless  society, 
using  the  arguments  and  reaching  the  conclusions  which  are 
foreign  to  the  revelation  of  God,  and  directly  antagonistic 
to  all  growth  in  grace. ' ' ' 

In  this  tide  of  worldliness  and  pleasure-seeking,  self- 
denial  and  self-sacrifice  for  Christ's  sake  are  almost  wholly 
lost.  ''Some  of  the  men  and  women  now  in  active  life  in 
our  churches  were  educated,  when  children,  to  make  sacri- 
fices in  order  to  be  able  to  give  or  do  something  for  Christ." 
But  "if  funds  are  wanted  now,  .  .  .  nobody  must  be  called 
on  to  give.  Oh,  no !  have  a  fair,  tableaux,  mock  trial,  anti- 
quarian supper,  or  something  to  eat  —  anything  to  amuse 
the  people." 

Governor  Washburn,  of  Wisconsin,  in  his  annual  mes- 
sage, Jan.  9,  1873,  declared:  "Some  law  seems  to  be  required 
to  break  up  the  schools  where  gamblers  are  made.  These 
are  everywhere.  Even  the  church  (unwittingly,  no  doubt) 
is  sometimes  found  doing  the  work  of  the  devil.  Gift 
concerts,  gift  enterprises  and  raffles,  sometimes  in  aid  of 
religious  or  charitable  objects,  but  often  for  less  worthy 
purposes,  lotteries,  prize  packages,  etc.,  are  all  devices  to 
obtain  money  without  value  received.  Notliing  is  so  de- 
moralizing or  intoxicating,  particularly  to  the  young,  as  the 
acquisition  of  money  or  property  without  labor.  Respect- 
able people  engaging  in  these  chance  enterprises,  and  easing 
their  consciences  with  the  reflection  that  the  money  is  to 
go  to  a  good  object,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  youth  of  the 
State  should  so  often  fall  into  the  habits  Avhich  the  ex- 
citement of  games  of  hazard  is  almost  certain  to  engender." 
a    ,■< 

.'••The  Healthy  Christian:      An  Appeal  to   the  Church," 
pp.   141,  142    (ed.   1871). 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

^^''The  spirit  of  worldly  conformity  is  invading  the  churches 
tliroughout  Christendom.  Robert  Atkins,  in  a  sermon 
preached  in  London,  draws  a  dark  picture  of  the  spiritual 
declension  that  prevails  in  England:  "The  truly  righteous 
ar^  diminished  from  the  earth,  and  no  man  layeth  it  to 
heart.  The  professors  of  religion  of  the  present  day,  in 
every  church,  are  lovers  of  the  world,  conformers  to  the 
world,  lovers  of  creature  comfort,  and  aspirers  after  respect- 
ability. They  are  called  to  suffer  with  Christ,  but  they 
shrink  from  even  reproach.  .  .  .  Apostasy,  apostasy,  apos- 
tasy, is  engraven  on  the  very  front  of  every  church;  and  did 
they  know  it,  and  did  tliey  feel  it,  there  might  be  hope ;  but, 
alas!  they  cry,  'We  are  rich,  and  increased  in  goods,  and 
stand  in  need  of  nothing.'  "' 

The  great  sin  charged  against  Babylon  is,  that  she  "made 
all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornica- 
tion." This  cup  of  intoxication  which  she  presents  to  the 
world,  represents  the  false  doctrines  that  she  has  accepted 
as  the  result  of  her  unlawful  connection  with  the  great  ones 
of  the  earth.  Friendship  with  the  world  corrupts  her  faith, 
and  in  her  turn  she  exerts  a  corrupting  influence  upon  the 
world  by  teaching  doctrines  which  are  opposed  to  the 
plainest  statements  of  Holy  Writ. 

Rome  withheld  the  Bible  from  the  people,  and  required 
all  men  to  accept  her  teachings  in  its  place.  It  was  the 
work  of  the  Reformation  to  restore  to  men  the  word  of  God; 
but  is  it  not  too  true  that  in  the  churches  of  our  time  men 
are  taught  to  rest  their  faith  upon  their  creed  and  the  teach- 
ings of  their  church  rather  than  on  the  Scriptures?  Said 
Charles  Beeeher,  speaking  of  the  Protestant  churches:  "They 
shrink  from  any  rude  word  against  creeds  with  the  same 
sensitiveness  witli  which  those  holy  fathers  would  have 
shrunk  from  a  rude  word  against  the  rising  veneration  of 
saints  and  martyrs  which  they  were  fostering.  ,  .  .  The 
Protestant  evangelical  denominations  have  so  tied  up  one 
another's  hands,  and  their  own,  that,  between  them  all,  a 
man  cannot  become  a  preacher  at  all,  anywhere,  without 
•Second  Advent  Library,  Tract  No.  39. 


A    WARNING  REJECTED  389 

accepting  some  book  besides  the  Bible.  .  .  .  There  is  noth- 
ing imaginary  in  the  statement  that  the  creed  power  is 
now  beginning  to  prohibit  the  Bible  as  really  as  Rome 
did,  though  in  a  subtler  way."  ' 

When  faithful  teachers  expound  the  word  of  God,  there 
arise  men  of  learning,  ministers  professing  to  understand  the 
Scriptures,  who  denounce  sound  doctrine  as  heresy,  and  thus 
turn  away  inquirers  after  truth.  Were  it  not  that  the 
world  is  hopelessly  intoxicated  with  the  wine  .  of  Babylon, 
multitudes  would  be  convicted  and  converted  by  the  plain, 
cutting  truths  of  the  word  of  God.  But  religious  faith 
appears  so  confused  and  discordant,  that  the  people  know 
not  what  to  believe  as  truth.  The  sin  of  the  world's 
impenitence  lies  at  the  door  of  the  church. 

The  second  angel's  message  of  Revelation  14  was  first 
preached  in  the  summer  of  1844,  and  it  then  had  a  more 
direct  application  to  the  churches  of  the  United  States, 
where  the  warning  of  the  judgment  had  been  most  widely 
proclaimed  and  most  generally  rejected,  and  where  the 
declension  in  the  churches  had  been  most  rapid.  But  the 
message  of  the  second  angel  did  not  reach  its  complete 
fulfilment  in  1844.  The  churches  then  experienced  a  moral 
fall,  in  consequence  of  their  refusal  of  the  light  of  the 
advent  message;  but  that  fall  was  not  complete.  As  they 
have  continued  to  reject  the  special  truths  for  this  time, 
they  have  fallen  lower  and  lower.  Not  yet,  however,  can 
it  be  said  that  "Babylon  is  fallen,  .  .  .  because  she  made 
all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornica- 
tion." She  has  not  yet  made  all  nations  do  this.  The 
spirit  of  world-conforming  and  indifference  to  the  testing 
truths  for  our  time,  exists  and  has  been  gaining  ground  in 
churches  of  the  Protestant  faith  in  all  the  countries  of 
Christendom;  and  these  churches  are  included  in  the  solemn 
and  terrible  denunciation  of  the  second  angel.  But  the 
work  of  apostasy  has  not  yet  reached  its  culmination. 

The  Bible  declares  that  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
Satan  will  work  "with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  won- 

» Sermon  on  "The  Bible  a  Sufficient  Creed,"  delivered  at  Fort  Wayne, 
Intl.,  Feb.  22,  1846. 


390  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ders,  and  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness;"  and 
they  that  "received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they 
might  be  saved,"  will  be  left  to  receive  "strong  delusion, 
that  they  should  believe  a  lie. " '  Not  until  this  condition 
shall  be  reached,  and  the  union  of  the  church  with  the  world 
shall  be  fully  accomplished  throughout  Christendom,  will  the 
fall  of  Babylon  be  complete.  The  change  is  a  progressive 
one,  and  the  perfect  fulfilment  of  Rev.  14 :  8  is  yet  future. 

Notwithstanding  the  sjuritual  darkness  and  alienation 
from  God  that  exist  in  the  churches  which  constitute  Baby- 
lon, the  great  body  of  Christ's  true  followers  are  still  to  be 
found  in  their  communion.  There  are  many  of  these  who 
have  never  seen  the  special  truths  for  this  time.  Not  a  few 
are  dissatisfied  with  their  present  condition,  and  are  longing 
for  clearer  light.  They  look  in  vain  for  the  image  of  Christ 
in  the  churches  with  which  they  are  connected.  As  these 
bodies  depart  farther  and  farther  from  the  truth,  and  ally 
themselves  more  closely  with  the  world,  the  difference 
between  the  two  classes  will  widen,  and  it  will  finally  re- 
sult in  separation.  The  time  will  come  when  those  who  love 
God  supremely  can  no  longer  remain  in  connection  with  such 
as  are  "lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God;  hav- 
ing a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof." 

Revelation  18  points  to  llie  time  when,  as  the  result  of 
rejecting  the  threefold  warning  of  Rev.  14 :  6-12,  the  church 
will  have  fully  reached  the  condition  foretold  by  the  sec- 
ond angel,  and  the  people  of  God  still  in  Babylon  will  be 
called  upon  to  separate  from  her  communion.  This  mes- 
sage is  the  last  that  will  ever  be  given  to  the  world ;  and 
it  will  accomplish  its  work.  When  those  that  "believed  not 
the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness, ' '  ^  shall  be 
left  to  receive  strong  delusion  and  to  believe  a  lie,  then  the 
light  of  truth  will  shine  upon  all  whose  hearts  are  open  to 
receive  it,  and  all  the  children  of  the  Lord  that  remain  in 
Babylon  will  heed  the  call,  ' '  Come  out  of  her.  My  people. ' ' ' 
*2  Thess.  2:9-11.  =2  Thess.  2:12.  'Rev.    18:4. 


PROPHECIES   FULFILLED -22 

"When  the  time  passed  at  which  the  Lord's  coming  was 
first  expected, —  in  the  spring  of  1844, —  those  who  had 
looked  in  faith  for  His  appearing  were  for  a  season  involved 
in  doubt  and  uncertainty.  Wliile  tlie  world  regarded  them 
as  liaving  l)een  utterly  defeated,  and  proved  to  have  been 
clierislniig  a  delusion,  their  source  of  consolation  was  still 
the  word  of  God.  IMany  continued  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
examining  anew  the  evidences  of  their  faith,  and  carefully 
studying  the  prophecies  to  obtain  further  light.  The  Bible 
testimony  in  support  of  their  position  seemed  clear  and  con- 
clusive. Signs  which  could  not  be  mistaken  pointed  to  the 
coming  of  Christ  as  near.  The  special  blessing  of  the  Lord, 
both  in  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  revival  of  spiritual 
life  among  Christians,  had  testified  that  the  message  was  of 
Heaven.  And  though  the  believers  could  not  explain  their 
disappointment,  they  felt  assured  that  God  had  led  them  in 
their  past  experience. 

Interwoven  with  prophecies  which  they  had  regarded  as 
applying  to  the  time  of  the  second  advent,  was  instruction 
specially  adapted  to  their  state  of  uncertainty  and  suspense, 
and  encouraging  them  to  wait  patiently  in  the  faitli  that 
what  was  now  dark  to  their  understanding  would  in  due 
time  be  made  plain. 

(391) 


392  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Among  these  prophecies  was  that  of  Hab.  2 : 1-4 :  "  I  will 
stand  upon  my  watch,  and  set  me  upon  the  tower,  and  will 
watch  to  see  what  He  will  say  unto  me,  and  what  I  shall 
answer  when  I  am  reproved.  And  the  Lord  answered  me, 
and  said,  Write  the  vision,  and  make  it  plain  upon  tables, 
that  he  may  run  that  readeth  it.  For  the  vision  is  yet  for 
an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not 
lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  because  it  will  surely  come, 
it  will  not  tarry.  Behold,  his  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is 
not  upright  in  him:  but  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith." 

As  early  as  1842,  the  direction  given  in  this  prophecy,  to 
"write  the  vision,  and  make  it  plain  upon  tables,  that  he 
may  run  that  readeth  it,"  had  suggested  to  Charles  Fitch 
the  preparation  of  a  prophetic  chart  to  illustrate  the  visions 
of  Daniel  and  the  Revelation.  The  publication  of  this 
chart  was  regarded  as  a  fumlment  of  the  command  given 
by  Habakkuk.  No  one,  however,  then  noticed  that  an 
apparent  delay  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  vision  —  a 
tarrying  time  —  is  presented  in  the  same  prophecy.  After 
the  disappointment,  this  scripture  appeared  very  signifi- 
cant: "The  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at 
the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait 
for  it;  because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry.  .  .  . 
The  just  shall  live  by  his  faith." 

A  portion  of  Ezekiel's  prophecy  also'  was  a  source  of 
strength  and  comfort  to  believers:  "The  word  of  the  Lord 
came  unto  me,  saying,  Son  of  man,  what  is  that  prov- 
erb that  ye  have  in  the  land  of  Israel,  saying.  The  days 
are  prolonged,  and  every  vision  faileth?  Tell  them  there- 
fore, Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  .  .  .  The  days  are  at  hand, 
and  the  effect  of  every  vision.  ...  I  will  speak,  and  the 
word  that  I  shall  speak  shall  come  to  pass;  it  shall  be  no 
more  prolonged."  "They  of  the  house  of  Israel  say.  The 
vision  that  he  seeth  is  for  many  days  to  come,  and  lie 
prophesieth  of  the  times  that  are  far  off.  Therefore  say 
unto  them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God:  There  shall  none  of 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  393 

My  words  be  prolonged  any  more,  but  the  word  which  I 
have   spoken   shall    be   done. ' '  * 

The  waiting  ones  rejoiced,  believing  that  lie  who  knows 
the  end  from  the  beginning  had  looked  down  through  the 
ages,  and  foreseeing  their  disappointment,  had  given  them 
words  of  courage  and  hope.  Had  it  not  been  for  such  por- 
tions of  Scripture,  admonishing  them  to  wait  with  patience, 
and  to  hold  fast  their  confidence  in  God's  word,  their  faith 
would  have  failed  in  that  trying  hour. 

The  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  of  Matthew  25  also  illus- 
trates the  experience  of  the  Adventist  people.  In  Matthew 
24,  in  answer  to  the  question  of  His  disciples  concerning  the 
sign  of  His  coming  and  of  the  end  of  the  world,  Christ  had 
pointed  out  some  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world  and  of  the  church  from  His  first  to  His 
second  advent;  namely,  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the 
great  tribulation  of  the  church  under  the  pagan  and  ])apal 
persecutions,  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  the 
falling  of  the  stars.  After  this  He  spoke  of  His  coming  in 
His  kingdom,  and  related  the  parable  describing  the  two 
classes  of  servants  who  look  for  His  appearing.  Chapter  25 
opens  with  the  words,  "Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
be  likened  unto  ten  virgins."  Here  is  brought  to  view  the 
church  living  in  the  last  days,  the  same  that  is  pointed  out 
in  the  close  of  chapter  24.  In  this  parable  their  experience 
is  illustrated  by  the  incidents  of  an  Eastern  marriage. 

"Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten 
virgins,  which  took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the 
bridegroom.  And  five  of  them  were  wise,  and  five  were 
foolish.  They  that  were  foolish  took  their  lamps,  and  took 
no  oil  with  them :  but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  vnih. 
their  lamps.  While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slum- 
bered and  slept.  And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made, 
Behold,  the  bridegroom  cometh;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him." 

The  coming  of  Christ,  as  announced  by  the  first  angel's 
message,  was  understood  to  be  represented  by  the  coming  of 

>Eze.  12:21-25,27,28. 


394  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  bridegroom.  The  wide-spread  reformation  under  the 
proclamation  of  His  soon  coming,  answered  to  the  going 
forth  of  the  virgins.  In  this  parable,  as  in  that  of  Matthew 
24,  two  classes  are  represented.  All  had  taken  their  lamps, 
the  Bible,  and  by  its  light  had  gone  forth  to  meet  the 
Bridegroom.  But  while  "they  that  were  foolish  took  their 
lamps,  and  took  no  oil  with  them,"  "the  wise  took  oil  in 
their  vessels  with  their  lamps."  The  latter  class  had  re- 
ceived the  grace  of  God,  the  regenerating,  enlightening 
power  of  the  H0I.Y  Spirit,  which  renders  His  word  a  lamp 
to  the  feet  and  a  light  to  the  path.  In  the  fear  of  God  they 
had  studied  the  Scriptures  to  learn  the  truth,  and  had  ear- 
nestly sought  for  purity  of  heart  and  life.  These  had  a 
personal  exi)erienco,  a  faith  in  God  and  in  His  M^ord,  which 
could  not  l)e  overtJirown  by  disn])pointment  and  delay. 
Others  "took  their  lamps,  and  took  no  oil  with  them." 
They  had  moved  from  impulse.  Their  fears  had  been 
excited  l)y  the  solemn  message,  but  tliey  had  depended  upon 
the  faith  of  their  brethren,  satisfied  with  the  flickering  light 
of  good  emotions,  without  a  thorough  understanding  of  tlie 
truth,  or  a  genuine  work  of  grace  in  the  heart.  These  had 
gone  forth  to  meet  the  Lord,  full  of  hope  in  the  prospect  of 
immediate  reward;  but  they  were  not  prepared  for  delay 
and  disappointment.  When  trials  came,  their  faith  failed, 
and  their  lights  burned  dim.  m 

"While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slumbered  and 
slept."  By  the  tarrying  of  the  bridegroom  is  represented 
the  passing  of  the  time  when  the  Lord  was  expected,  the 
disappointment,  and  the  seeming  delay.  In  this  time  of 
uncertainty,  the  interest  of  the  superficial  and  half-hearted 
soon  began  to  M'aver,  and  their  efforts  to  relax;  but  those 
whose  faith  was  baf>ed  on  a  personal  knowledge  of  the  Bible, 
had  a  rock  beneath  their  feet,  which  the  waves  of  disap- 
pointment could  not  wash  away.  "They  all  slumbered  and 
slept;"  one  class  in  unconcern  and  abandonment  of  their 
faith,    the    other    class   patiently    waiting   till    clearer    light 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  395 

should  be  given.  Yet  "m  the  night  of  trial  the  latter  seemed 
to  lose,  to  some  extent,  their  zeal  and  devotion.  The  half- 
hearted and  superficial  could  no  longer  lean  upon  the  faith 
of  their  brethren.     Each  must  stand  or  fall  for  himself. 

About  this  time,  fanaticism  began  to  appear.  Some  who 
had  professed  to  be  zealous  believers  in  the  message,  rejected 
the  word  of  God  as  the  one  infallible  guide,  and  claiming 
to  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  gave  themselves  up  to  the  control  of 
their  own  feelings,  impressions,  and  imaginations.  There 
were  some  who  manifested  a  blind  and  bigoted  zeal,  de- 
nouncing all  who  would  not  sanction  their  course.  Their 
fanatical  ideas  and  exercises  met  with  no  sympathy  from 
the  great  body  of  Adventists;  yet  they  served  to  bring 
reproach  upon  the  cause  of  truth. 

Satan  was  seeking  by  this  means  to  oppose  and  destroy 
the  work  of  God.  The  people  had  been  greatly  stirred  by 
the  Advent  Movement,  thousands  of  sinners  had  been  con- 
verted, and  faithful  men  were  giving  themselves  to  the  work 
of  proclaiming  the  truth,  even  in  the  tarrying  time.  The 
prince  of  evil  was  losing  his  subjects;  and  in  order  to  bring 
reproach  upon  the  cause  of  God,  he  sought  to  deceive  some 
who  professed  the  faith,  and  to  drive  them  to  extremes. 
Then  his  agents  stood  ready  to  seize  upon  every  error,  every 
failure,  every  unbecoming  act,  and  hold  it  up  before  the 
people  in  the  most  exaggerated  light,  to  render  Adventists 
and  their  faith  odious.  Thus  the  greater  the  number  whom 
he  could  crowd  in  to  make  a  profession  of  faith  in  the 
second  advent  while  his  power  controlled  their  hearts,  the 
greater  advantage  would  he  gain  by  calling  attention  to 
them  as  representatives  of  the  whole  body  of  believers. 

Satan  is  "the  accuser  of  the  brethren,"  and  it  is  his  spirit 
that  inspires  men  to  watch  for  the  errors  and  defects  of 
the  Lord's  people,  and  to  hold  them  up  to  notice,  while  their 
good  deeds  are  passed  by  without  a  mention.  He  is  always 
Active  when  God  is  at  work  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  "When 
the  sons  of  God  come  to  present  themselves  before  the  Lord, 


396        *  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Satan  cornes  also  among  them.  In  every  revival  he  is  ready- 
to  bring  in  those  who  are  uusanctified  in  heart  and  unbal- 
anced in  mind.  When  these  have  accepted  some  points  of 
truth,  and  gained  a  place  with  believers,  he  works  through 
them  to  introduce  theories  that  will  deceive  the  unwary. 
No  man  is  proved  to  be  a  true  Christian  because  he  is  found 
in  company  with  the  children  of  God,  even  in  the  house  of 
worship  and  around  the  table  of  the  Lord.  Satan  is  fre- 
quently there  upon  the  most  solemn  occasions,  in  the  form 
of  those  whom  he  can  use  as  his  agents. 

The  prince  of  evil  contests  e^'ery  inch  of  ground  over 
which  God's  people  advance  in  their  journey  toward  the 
heavenly  city.  In  all  the  history  of  the  church,  no  reforma- 
tion has  been  carried  forward  without  encountering  serious 
obstacles.  Thus  it  was  in  I'aul's  day.  Wherever  the  apostle 
raised  up  a  church,  there  were  some  who  professed  to  receive 
the  faith,  but  who  brought  in  heresies,  that,  if  received, 
would  eventually  crowd  out  tlie  love  of  the  truth.  Luther 
also  suffered  great  perplexity  and  distress  from  the  course 
of  fanatical  persons  who  claimed  that  God  had  spoken 
directly  through  them,  and  who  therefore  set  their  own 
ideas  and  opinions  above  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures. 
Many  who  were  lacking  in  faith  and  experience,  but  who 
had  considerable  self-sufticiency,  and  who  loved  to  hear 
and  tell  some  new  thing,  were  beguiled  by  the  pretensions 
of  the  new  teachers,  and  they  joined  the  agents  of  Satan  in 
their  work  of  tearing  down  what  God  had  moved  Luther 
to  build  up.  And  the-  Wesleys,  and  others  Avho  blessed 
the  world  by  their  influence  and  their  faith,  encountered 
at  every  step  the  wiles  of  Satan  in  pusliing  overzealous, 
unbalanced,  and  uusanctified  ones  into  fanaticism  of  every 
grade. 

William  IVIiller  had  no  sympathy  with  those  influences 
that  led  to  fanaticism.  He  declared,  with  Luther,  that 
every  spirit  should  be  tested  by  the  word  of  God.  "The 
devil,"  said  Miller,  "has  great  power  over  the  minds  of  some 
at  the  present  day.    And  how  shall  we  know  what  manner  of 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  397 

spirit  they  are  of?  The  Bible  answers:  'By  their  fruits  ye 
shall  know  them.'  .  .  .  There  are  many  spirits  gone  out  into 
the  world;  and  we  are  commanded  to  try  the  spirits.  The 
spirit  that  does  not  cause  us  to  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly,  in  this  present  M^orld,  is  not  the. Spirit  of  Christ. 
I  am  more  and  more  convinced  that  Satan  has  much  to  do 
in  these  wild  movements.  .  .  .  INIany  among  us,  who  pretend 
to  be  wholly  sanctified,  are  following  the  traditions  of  men, 
and  apparently  are  as  ignorant  of  truth  as  others  who 
make  no  such  pretensions.'"  "The  spirit  of  error  will  lead 
us  from  the  truth ;  and  the  Spirit  of  God  will  lead  us  into 
truth.  But,  say  you,  a  man  may  be  in  an  error,  and  think 
he  has  the  truth.  What  then?  We  answer.  The  Spirit  and 
word  agree.  If  a  man  judges  hims^f  by  the  word  of  God, 
and  finds  a  perfect  harmony  through  the  whole  wdrd, 
then  he  must  believe  he  has  the  truth ;  but  if  he  f5nds 
the  spirit  by  which  he  is  led  does  not  harmonize  with 
the  whole  tenor  of  God's  law  or  book,  then  let  him  walk 
carefully,  lest  he  be  caught  in  the  snare  of  the  devil.'"  "I 
have  often  obtained  mor6'  evidence  of  inward  piety  from 
a  kindling  eye,  a  wet  cheek,  and  a  choked  utterance,  than 
from  all  the  noise  in  Christendom."' 

In  the  days  of  the  Reformation  its  enemies  charged  all 
the  evils  of  fanaticism  upon  the  very  ones  who  were  labor- 
ing most  earnestly  against  it.  A  similar  course  was  pursued 
by  the  opposers  of  the  Advent  Movement.  And  not  con- 
tent with  misrepresenting  and  exaggerating  the  errors  of 
extremists  and  fanatics,  they  circulated  unfavorable  reports 
that  had  not  the  slightest  semblance  of  truth.  These  per- 
sons were  actuated  by  prejudice  an(i  li^atred.  Their  peace 
was  disturbed  by  the  proclamation  of  Christ  at  the  door. 
They  feared  it  might  be  true,  yet  hoped  it  was  not,  and  this 
was  the  secret  of  their  warfare  against  Adventists  and  their 
faith.  !•/.:■,/.    (     -.ii 

» Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  pp.  236,  23,7,^382. 
'  The  Advent  Herald  and  Sions  of  the  Times  Reporter,' Yo\.  VIII,, 
No.  23   (Jan.  15,  1845).  '  •    J-^ 


398  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  fact  that  a  few  fanatics  worked  their  way  into  the 
ranks  of  Adventists  is  no  more  a  reason  to  decide  that  the 
movement  was  not  of  God,  than  was  the  presence  of  fanat- 
ics and  deceivers  in  the  church  in  Paul's  or  Luther's  day 
a  sufficient  excuse  for  condemning  their  work.  Let  the 
people  of  God  arouse  out  of  sleep,  and  begin  in  earnest 
the  work  of  repentance  and  reformation ;  let  them  search 
the  Scriptures  to  learn  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus;  let  them 
make  an  entire  consecration  to  God,  and  evidence  will  not 
be  wanting  that  Satan  is  still  active  and  vigilant.  With 
all  possible  deception  he  will  manifest  his  power,  calling 
to  his  aid  all  the  fallen  angels  of  his  realm. 

It  was  not  the  proclamation  of  ,  the  second  advent  that 
created  fanaticism  and  division.  These  appeared  in  the 
summer  of  1844,  when  Adventists  were  in  a  state  of  doubt 
and  perplexity  concerning  their  real  position.  The  preach- 
ing of  the  first  angel's  message  and  of  the  "midnight  cry" 
tended  directly  to  repress  fanaticism  and  dissension.  Those 
who  participated  in  these  solemn  movements  were  in  har- 
mony; their  hearts  were  filled  with  love  for  one  another, 
and  for  Jesus,  whom  they  expected  soon  to  see.  The  one 
faith,  the  one  blessed  hope,  lifted  them  above  the  control 
of  any  human  influence,  and  proved  a  shield  against  the 
assaults  of  Satan. 

"While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slumbered  and 
slept.  And  at  midnight  there  was  a  cry  made,  Behold,  the 
bridegroom  cometh;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him.  Then  all  those 
virgins  arose,  and  trimmed  their  lamps. "  *  In  the  summer 
of  1844,  midway  between  the  time  when  it  had  been  first 
thought  that  the  2300  days  would  end,  and  the  autumn  of 
the  same  year,  to  which  it  was  afterward  found  that  they 
extended,  the  message  was  proclaimed  in  the  very  words  of 
Scripture,  "Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh!" 

That  which  led  to  this  movement  was  the  discovery  that 
the  decree  of  Artaxerxes  for  the  restoration  of  Jerusalem, 
which  formed  the  starting-point  for  the  period  of  the  2300 
days,  went  into  effect  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  b.  c.  457, 

» Matt.  25:5-7. 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  399 

and  not  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  as  had  been  formerly 
believed.  Reckoning  from  the  autumn  of  457,  the  2300 
years  terminate  in  the  autumn  of  1844/ 

Arguments  drawn  from  the  Old  Testament  types  also 
pointed  to  the  autumn  as  the  time  when  the  event  repre- 
sented by  the  "cleansing  of  the  sanctuary"  must  take 
place.  This  was  made  very  clear  as  attention  was  given 
to  the  manner  in  which  the  types  relating  to  the  first  advent 
of  Christ  had  been  fulfilled. 

The  slaying  of  the  Passover  lamb  was  a  shadow  of  the 
death  of  Christ.  Says  Paul,  "Christ  our  passover  is  sacri- 
ficed for  us."  ^  The  sheaf  of  first-fruits,  which  at  the  time  of 
the  Passover  was  waved  before  the  Lord,  was  typical  of  the 
resurrection  of  Christ.  Paul  says,  in  speaking  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  Lord,  and  of  all  His  people,  "Christ  the  first- 
fruits;  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  His  coming."* 
Like  the  wave-sheaf,  which  w^as  the  first  ripe  grain  gathered 
before  the  harvest,  Christ  is  the  first-fruits  of  that  immortal 
harvest  of  redeemed  ones  that  at  the  future  resurrection 
shall  be  gathered  into  the  garner  of  God. 

These  types  were  fulfilled,  not  only  as  to  the  event,  but 
as  to  the  time.  On  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first  Jewish 
month,  the  very  day  and  month  on  which,  for  fifteen  long 
centuries,  the  Passover  lamb  had  been  slain,  Christ,  having 
eaten  the  Passover  with  His  disciples,  instituted  that  feast 
which  was  to  commemorate  His  own  death  as  "the  Lamb  of 
God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  That  same 
night  He  was  taken  by  wicked  hands,  to  be  crucified  and 
slain.  And  as  the  antitype  of  the  wave-sheaf,  our  Lord  was 
raised  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  "the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept,"  ^  a  sample  of  all  the  resurrected  just,  whose 
"vile  body"  shall  be  changed,  and  "fashioned  like  unto  His 
glorious  body."* 

In  like  manner,  the  types  which  relate  to  the  second 
advent  must   be   fulfilled   at   the   time   pointed   out   in    the 

'  See  diagram  opposite  p.  328 ;  also  Appendix. 
'1  Cor.  5:7.  »}  Oor.  15:23,  20.  *  Phil.  3:21. 


400  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

symbolic  service.  Under  the  jMosaie  system,  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary,  or  the  great  day  of  atonement,  occurred  on 
the  tenth  day  of  the  seventh  Jewish  month,'  when  the  high 
priest,  having  made  an  atonement  for  all  Israel,  and  thus 
removed  their  sins  from  the  sanctuary,  came  forth  and 
blessed  the  people.  So  it  was  believed  that  Christ,  our 
great  High  Priest,  would  appear  to  purify  the  earth  by  the 
destruction  of  sin  and  sinners,  and  to  bless  His  waiting 
people  with  immortality.  The  tenth  day  of  the  seventh 
month,  the  great  day  of  atonement,  the  time  of  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary,  which  in  the  year  1844  fell  upon  the 
twenty-second  of  October,  was  regarded  as  the  time  of  the 
Lord 's  coming.  This  Avas  in  harmony  with  the  proofs 
already  presented,  that  the  2300  days  would  terminate  in 
the  autumn,  and  the  conclusion  seemed  irresistible. 

In  the  parable  of  ]\Iatthew  25  the  time  of  waiting  and 
slumber  is  followexl  by  the  coming  of  the  bridegroom.  This 
was  in  accordance  with  the  arguments  just  presented,  both 
from  prophecy  and  from  the  types.  They  carried  strong 
conviction  of  their  truthfulness;  and  the  "midnight  cry" 
was  heralded  by  thousands  of  believers. 

Like  a  tidal  wave  the  movement  swept  over  the  land. 
From  city  to  city,  from  village  to  village,  and  into  remote 
country  places  it  went,  until  the  waiting  people  of  God  were 
fully  aroused.  Fanaticism  disappeared  before  this  procla- 
mation, like  early  frost  before  the  rising  sun.  Believers  saw 
their  doubt  and  perjjlexity  removed,  and  hope  and  courage 
animated  their  hearts.  The  work  was  free  from  those  ex- 
tremes which  are  ever  manifested  w'hen  there  is  human 
excitement  without  the  controlling  influence  of  the  word 
and  Spirit  of  God.  It  was  similar  in  character  to  those 
seasons  of  humiliation  and  returning  unto  the  Lord  which 
among  ancient  Israel  followed  messages  of  reproof  from  His 
servants.  It  bore  the  characteristics  that  mark  the  work  of 
God  in  every  age.  There  was  little  ecstatic  joy,  but  rather 
deep  searching  of  heart,  confession  of  sin,  and  forsaking  of 

^  Lev.  16:29-34. 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  401 

the  world.  A  preparation  to  meet  the  Lord  was  the  hiirden 
of  agonizing  spirits.  There  was  persevering  prayer,  and  un- 
reserved consecration  to  God. 

Said  Miller,  in  describing  that  work:  "There  is  no  great 
expression  of  joy :  that  is,  as  it  were,  suppressed  for  a  future 
occasion,  when  all  heaven  and  earth  will  rejoice  together 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  There  is  no  shout- 
ing: that,  too,  is  reserved  for  the  shout  from  heaven.  The 
singers  are  silent :  they  are  waiting  to  join  the  angelic  hosts, 
the  choir  from  heaven,  .  .  .  There  is  no  clashing  of  senti- 
ments :  all  are  of  one  heart  and  of  one  mind. ' ' ' 

Another  who  participated  in  the  movement  testified:  "It 
produced  everywhere  the  most  deep  searching  of  heart  and 
humiliation  of  soul  before  the  God  of  high  heaven.  It  caused 
a  weaning  of  affections  from  the  things  of  this  world,  a  heal- 
ing of  controversies  and  animosities,  a  confession  of  wrongs, 
a  breaking  down  before  God,  and  penitent,  broken-hearted 
supplications  to  Ilim  for  pardon  and  acceptance.  It  caused 
self-abasement  and  prostration  of  soul,  such  as  we  never 
before  witnessed.  As  God  by  Joel  commanded,  when  the 
great  day  of  God  should  be  at  hand,  it  produced  a  rending 
of  hearts  and  not  of  garments,  and  a  turning  unto  the  Lord 
with  fasting,  and  weeping,  and  mourning.  As  God  said 
by  Zechariah,  a  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication  was  poured 
out  upon  His  children;  they  looked  to  Him  whom  they 
had  pierced,  there  was  a  great  mourning  in  the  land,  .  .  . 
and  those  who  were  looking  for  the  Lord  afflicted  their  souls 
before  Him. ' ' " 

Of  all  the  great  religious  movements  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  none  have  been  more  free  from  human  imperfec- 
tion and  the  wiles  of  Satan  than  was  that  of  the  autumn 
of  1844.  Even  now,  after  the  lapse  of  many  years,  all  who 
shared  in  that  movement  and  who  have  stood  firm  upon 
the  platform  of  truth,  still  feel  the  holy  influence  of  that 
blessed  work,  and  bear  witness  that  it  was  of  God. 

'Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.  Miller,"  pp.  270,  271. 
'Bliss,  in  the  Advent  Shield  and  Review,  Vol.  I,  p.  271  (Jan.,  1845). 


402  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

At  the  call,  ''The  Bridegroom  cometh;  go  ye  out  to  meet 
Him,"  the  waiting  ones  "arose  and  trimmed  their  lamps;" 
they  studied  the  Avord  of  God  with  an  intensity  of  interest 
before  unknown.  Angels  were  sent  from  heaven  to  arouse 
those  who  had  become  discouraged,  and  prepare  them  to 
receive  the  message.  The  work  did  not  stand  in  the  wis- 
dom and  learning  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God.  It  was 
not  the  most  talented,  but  the  most  huml)le  and  devoted, 
who  were  the  first  to  hear  and  obey  the  call.  Farmers  left 
their  crops  standing  in  the  fields,  mechanics  laid  down  their 
tools,  and  with  tears  and  rejoicing  went  out  to  give  the 
warning.  Those  who  had  formerly  led  in  the  cause  were 
among  the  last  to  join  in  this  movement.  The  churches  in 
general  closed  their  doors  against  this  message,  and  a  large 
company  of  those  who  received  it  withdrew  from  their 
connection.  In  the  providence  of  God,  this  proclamation 
united  with  the  second  angel's  message,  and  gave  power 
to  that  work. 

The  message,  "Hehold,  tlic  Bridegroom  cometh!"  was  no? 
so  much  a  matter  of  argument,  tliongh  the  Scripture  proof 
was  clear  and  conclusive.  There  went  with  it  an  impelling 
power  that  moved  the  soul.  There  was  no  doul)t,  no  ques- 
tioning. Upon  the  occasion  of  Christ's  triumphal  entry  into 
Jerusalem,  the  jieople  who  were  assembled  from  all  parts  of 
the  land  to  keep  the  feast,  flocked  to  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
and  as  they  joined  the  throng  tliat  were  escorting  Jesus, 
they  caught  the  inspiration  of  the  hour,  and  helped  to  swell 
the  shout,  ''Blessed  is  lie  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord ! "  *  In  like  manner  did  unbelievers  who  flocked  to 
the  Adventist  meetings  —  some  from  curiosity,  some  merely 
to  ridicule  —  feel  the  convincing  power  attending  the  mes- 
sage, ' '  Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh  ! ' ' 

At  that  time  there  was  faith  that  brought  answers  to 
prayer, —  faith  that  had  respect  to  the  recompense  of  reward. 
Like  showers  of  rain  upon  the  thirsty  earth,  the  Spirit  of 
grace  descended  upon  the  earnest  seekers.     Those  who  ex- 

^Matt.  21:9. 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  408 

peeted  soon  to  stand  face  to  face  with  their  Redeemer, 
felt  a  solemn  joy  that  was  unutterable.  The  softening, 
subduing  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  melted  the  heart,  as 
His  blessing  was  bestowed  in  rich  measure  upon  the  faith- 
ful,  believing  ones. 

Carefully  and  solemnly  those  who  received  the  message 
came  up  to  the  time  when  they  hoped  to  meet  their  Lord. 
Every  morning  they  felt  that  it  was  their  first  duty  to  secure 
the  evidence  of  their  acceptance  with  God.  Their  hearts 
were  closely  united,  and  they  prayed  much  with  and  for 
one  another.  They  often  met  together  in  secluded  places  to 
commune  with  God,  and  the  voice  of  intercession  ascended 
to  heaven  from  the  fields  and  'groves.  The  assurance  of  the 
Saviour's  approval  was  more  necessary  to  them  than  their 
daily  food;  and  if  a  cloud  darkened  their  minds,  they  did 
not  rest  until  it  was  swept  away.  As  they  felt  the  witness 
of  pardoning  grace,  they  longed  to  behold  Him  whom  their 
souls  loved. 

*' "  But  again  they  were  destined  to  disappointment.  The 
time  of  expectation  passed,  and  their  Saviour  did  not  appear. 
"With  unwavering  confidence  they  had  looked  forward  to  His 
coming,  and  now  they  felt  as  did  Mary,  when,  coming  to 
the  Saviour's  tomb  and  finding  it  empty,  she  exclaimed  with 
weeping,  "They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know 
not  where  they  have  laid  Him."* 

A  feeling  of  awe,  a  fear  that  the  message  might  be  true, 
had  for  a  time  served  as  a  restraint  upon  the  unbelieving 
world.  After  the  passing  of  the  time,  this  did  not  at  once 
disappear;  at  first  they  dared  not  triumph  over  the  disap- 
pointed ones;  but  as  no  tokens  of  God's  wrath  were  seen, 
they  recovered  from  their  fears,  and  resumed  their  reproach 
and  ridicule.  A  large  class  who  had  professed  to  believe  in 
the  Lord's  soon  coming,  renounced  their  faith.  Some  who 
had  been  very  confident  were  so  deeply  wounded  in  their 
pride  that  they  felt  like  fleeing  from  the  world.  Like  Jonah, 
they  complained  of  God,  and  chose  death  rather  than  life. 

»  John  20:13. 


404  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Those  who  had  based  their  faith  upon  the  opinions  of  others, 
and  not  upon  the  word  of  God,  were  now  as  ready  again  to 
change  their  views.  The  scoffers  won  the  weak  and  cowardly 
to  their  ranks,  and  all  these  united  in  declaring  that  there 
could  be  no  more  fears  or  expectations  now.  The  time 
had  passed,  the  Lord  had  not  come,  and  the  world  mighl 
remain  the  same  for  thousands  of  years. 

The  earnest,  sincere  believers  had  given  up  all  for  Christ, 
and  had  shared  His  presence  as  never  before.  They  had,  as 
they  believed,  given  their  last  warning  to  the  world ;  and 
expecting  soon  to  be  received  into  the  society  of  their  divine 
Master  and  the  heavenly  angels,  they  had,  to  a  great  extent, 
withdrawn  from  the  society  of  those  who  did  not  receive  the 
message.  With  intense  desire  they  had  prayed,  "Come, 
Lord  Jesus,  and  come  quickly. ' '  But  lie  had  not  come.  And 
now  to  take  up  again  the  heavy  burden  of  life's  cares  and 
perplexities,  and  to  endure  the  taunts  and  sneers  of  a  scoff- 
ing world,  Avas  a  terrible  trial  of  faith  and  patience. 

Yet  this  disappointment  M'as  not  so  great  as  was  that 
experienced  by  the  disciples  at  the  time  of  Christ's  first 
advent.  When  Jesus  rode  triumphantly  into  Jerusalem,  His 
followers  believed  that  He  was  about  to  ascend  the  throne 
of  David,  and  deliver  Israel  from  her  oppressors.  With 
high  hopes  and  joyful  anticipations  they  vied  with  one 
another  in  showing  honor  to  their  King.  Many  spread  their 
outer  garments  as  a  carpet  in  His  path,  or  strewed  before 
Him  the  leafy  ])ranches  of  the  palm.  In  their  enthusiastic 
joy  they  united  in  the  glad  acclaim,  "Ilosanna  to  the  Son 
of  David!"  When  the  Pharisees,  disturbed  and  angered  by 
this  outburst  of  rejoicing,  wished  Jesus  to  rebuke  His  dis- 
ciples.  He  replied,  "If  these  should  hold  their  peace,  the 
stones  would  immediately  cry  out."*  Prophecy  must  be 
fulfilled.  The  disciples  were  accomplishing  the  purpose  of 
God;  yet  they  were  doomed  to  a  bitter  disappointment.  But 
a  few  days  had  passed  ere  they  witnessed  the  Saviour's  ago- 
nizing death,  and  laid  Him  in  the  tomb.  Their  expecta- 
tions had  not  been  realized  in  a  single  particular,  and  their 

»Luke  19:40. 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  405 

hopes  died  with  Jesus.  Not  till  their  Lord  Had  come  forth 
triumphant  from  the  grave  could  they  perceive  that  all  had 
leen  foretold  by  prophecy,  and  "that  Christ  must  needs 
have  suffered,   and  risen  again  from  the   dead. ' ' ' 

Five  hundred  years  before,  the  Lord  had  declared  by  the 
prophet  Zechariah,  "Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion; 
shout,  0  daughter  of  Jerusalem:  behold,  thy  King  cometh 
unto  thee:  lie  is  just,  and  having  salvation;  lowly,  and 
riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass."' 
Had  the  disciples  realized  that  Christ  was  going  to  judgment 
and  to  death,  they  could  not  have  fulfilled  this  prophecy. 

In  like  numner,  ]\Iiller  and  his  associates  fulfilled  proph- 
ecy, and  gave  a  message  which  Inspiration  had  foretold 
should  be  given  to  the  world,  but  which  they  could  not 
have  given  had  they  fully  understood  the  prophecies  point- 
ing out  their  disappointment,  and  presenting  another  mes- 
sage to  be  preached  to  all  nations  before  the  Lord  should 
come.  The  first  and  second  angels'  messages  were  given 
at  the  right  time,  and  accomplished  the  work  which  God 
designed  to  accomplish  by  them. 

The  world  had  been  looking  on,  expecting  that  if  the 
time  passed  and  Christ  did  not  appear,  the  whole  system  of 
Adventism  would  be  given  up.  But  while  many,  under 
strong  temptation,  jaelded  their  faith,  there  were  some  who 
stood  firm.  Tlie  fruits  of  the  Advent  Movement,  the  spirit 
of  humility  and  heart-searcliing,  of  renouncing  of  the  world 
and  reformation  of  life,  which  had  attended  the  work,  testi- 
fied that  it  was  of  God.  They  dared  not  deny  that  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  had  witnessed  to  the  preaching  of 
the  second  advent,  and  they  could  detect  no  error  in  their 
reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods.  The  ablest  of  their 
opponents  had  not  succeeded  in  overthrowing  their  system 
of  prophetic  interpretation.  They  could  not  consent,  with- 
out Bible  evidence,  to  renounce  positions  wliich  had  been 
reached  through  earnest,  prayerful  study  of  the  Scriptures, 
by  minds  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  hearts 
'Acts   17:3.  =Ze('li.   9:9. 


406  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

burning  with  its  living  power;  positions  which  had  with- 
stood the  most  searching  criticisms  and  the  most  bitter 
opposition  of  popular  religious  teachers  and  worldly-wise 
men,  and  which  had  stood  firm  against  the  combined  forces 
of  learning  and  eloquence,  and  the  taunts  and  revilings 
alike  of  the  honorable  and  the  base. 

True,  there  had  been  a  failure  as  to  the  expected  event, 
but  even  this  could  not  shake  their  faith  in  the  word  of 
God.  When  Jonah  proclaimed  in  the  streets  of  Nineveh 
that  within  forty  days  the  city  would  be  overthrown,  the 
Lord  accepted  the  humiliation  of  the  Ninevites,  and  extended 
their  period  of  probation;  yet  the  message  of  Jonah  was 
sent  of  God,  and  Nineveh  was  tested  according  to  His  will. 
Adventists  believed  that  in  like  manner  God  had  led  them 
to  give  the  warning  of  the  judgment.  "It  has,"  they  de- 
ijlared,  "tested  the  hearts  of  all  who  heard  it,  and  awakened 
a  love  for  the  Lord's  appearing;  or  it  has  called  forth  a 
hatred,  more  or  less  perceivable,  but  known  to  God,  of  His 
coming.  It  has  drawn  a  line,  ...  so  that  those  who  will  ex- 
amine their  own  hearts,  may  know  on  which  side  of  it  they 
would  have  been  found,  had  the  Lord  then  come  —  whether 
they  would  have  exclaimed,  'Lo!  this  is  our  God,  we  have 
waited  for  Ilini,  and  He  will  save  us;'  or  whether  they  would 
have  called  to  the  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  on  them  to  hide 
them  from  the  face  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
from  the  wrath  of  tlie  Lamb.  God  thus,  as  we  believe, 
has  tested  His  people,  has  tried  their  faith,  has  proved  them, 
and  seen  wliether  they  would  shrink,  in  the  hour  of  trial, 
from  the  position  in  which  He  might  see  fit  to  place  them; 
and  whether  they  would  relinquish  this  world  and  rely  with 
implicit  confidence  in  the  word  of  God. ' ' ' 

The  feelings  of  those  who  still  believed  that  God  had  led 
them  in  their  past  experience,  are  expressed  in  the  words  of 
William  Miller:  "Were  I  to  live  my  life  over  again,  with 

^  The  Advent  Herald  and  Sic/ns  of  the  Times  Beporter,  Vol.  VIII, 
No.   14    (Nov.   13,   1844). 


PROPHECIES  FULFILLED  407 

the  same  evidence  that  I  then  had,  to  be  honest  with  God 
and  man  I  should  have  to  do  as  I  have  done."  "I  hope 
that  I  have  cleansed  my  garments  from  the  blood  of  souls. 
I  feel  that,  as  far  as  it  was  in  my  power,  I  have  freed  myself 
from  all  guilt  in  their  condemnation."  "Although  I  have 
been  twice  disappointed,"  wrote  this  man  of  God,  "I  am 
not  yet  cast  down  or  discouraged.  .  .  .  My  hope  in  the  com- 
ing of  Christ  is  as  strong  as  ever.  I  have  done  only  what, 
after  years  of  solemn  consideration,  I  felt  it  my  solemn  duty 
to  do.  If  I  have  erred,  it  has  been  on  the  side  of  charity, 
love  to  my  fellow-men,  and  conviction  of  duty  to  God." 
"One  thing  I  do  know,  I  have  preached  nothing  but  what  I 
believed;  and  God  has  been  with  me;  His  power  has 
been  manifested  in  the  work,  and  much  good  has  been  ef- 
fected." "Many  thousands,  to  all  human  appearance,  have 
been  made  to  study  the  Scriptures  by  the  preaching  of  the 
time;  and  by  that  means,  through  faith  and  the  sprinkling 
of  the  blood  of  Christ,  have  been  reconciled  to  God."*  "I 
have  never  courted  the  smiles  of  the  proud,  nor  quailed  when 
the  world  frowned.  I  shall  not  now  purchase  their  favor, 
nor  shall  I  go  beyond  duty  to  tempt  their  hate.  I  shall  never 
seek  my  life  at  their  hands,  nor  shrink,  I  hope,  from  losing 
it,  if  God  in  His  good  providence  so  orders."' 

God  did  not  forsake  His  people;  His  Spirit  still  abode 
with  those  who  did  not  rashly  deny  the  light  which  they  had 
received,  and  denounce  the  Advent  Movement.  In  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  are  words  of  encouragement  and 
warning  for  the  tried,  waiting  ones  at  this  crisis-.  "Cast  not 
^way  therefore  your  confidence,  which  hath  great  recom- 
pense of  reward.  For  ye  have  need  of  patience,  that,  after 
ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the  promise. 
For  yet  a  little  while,  and  He  that  shall  come  will  come, 
and  will  not  tarry.  Now  the  just  shall  live  by  faith:  but  if 
any  man  draw  back,  My  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him. 

» Bliss,  "Memoirs  of  Wm.   Miller,"  pp.  256,  255,  277,  280,  281. 
=  ^^^lite,  J.,  "Life  of  Wm.  MiUer,"  p.  315. 


408  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

But  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition;  but 
of  them  that  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.'" 

That  this  admonition  is  addressed  to  the  church  in  the 
last  days  is  evident  from  the  words  pointing  to  the  nearness 
of  the  Lord's  coming:  "For  yet  a  little  while,  and  He  that 
shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  And  it  is  plainly 
implied  that  there  would  be  a  seeming  delay,  and  that  the 
Lord  would  appear  to  tarry.  The  instruction  here  given  is 
especially  adapted  to  the  experience  of  Adventists  at  this 
time.  The  people  here  addressed  were  in  danger  of  making 
shipwreck  of  faith.  They  had  done  the  will  of  God  in  fol- 
lowing the  guidance  of  His  Spirit  and  His  word;  yet  they 
could  not  understand  His  purpose  in  their  past  experience, 
nor  could  they  discern  the  pathway  before  them,  and  they 
Avere  tempted  to  doubt  whether  God  had  indeed  been  lead- 
ing them.  At  this  time  the  words  were  applicable,  ''Now 
the  just  shall  live  by  faith."  As  the  bright  light  of  the 
"midnight  cry"  had  shone  upon  their  pathway,  and  they 
had  seen  the  prophecies  unsealed,  and  the  rapidly  fulfilling 
signs  telling  that  the  coming  of  Christ  was  near,  they  had 
walked,  as  it  were,  by  sight.  But  now,  bowed  down  by  dis- 
appointed hopes,  they  could  stand  only  by  faith  in  God  and 
in  His  word.  The  scoffing  world  were  saying :  ' '  You  have 
been  deceived.  Give  up  your  faith,  and  say  that  the  Advent 
Movement  was  of  Satan."  But  God's  word  declared,  "If 
any  man  draw  back,  My  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him."  To  renounce  their  faith  now,  and  deny  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  which  had  attended  the  message,  would  be 
drawing  back  toward  perdition.  They  were  encouraged  to 
steadfastness  by  the  words  of  Paul,  "Cast  not  away  there-' 
fore  your  confidence;"  "ye  have  need  of  patience,"  "for 
yet  a  little  while,  and  He  that  shall  come  will  come,  and 
aWII  not  tarry."  Their  only  safe  course  was  to  cherish  the 
light  which  they  had  already  received  of  God,  hold  fast 
to  His  promises,  and  continue  to  search  the  Scriptures,  and 
patiently  wait  and  watch  to  receive  further  light. 
*Heb.   10:35-39. 


WliAT  IS  THE  SANCTUARY?  -  23 

The  scripture  which  above  all  others  had  been  both  the 
foundation  and  the  central  pillar  of  the  advent  faith,  was  the 
declaration,  "Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days; 
then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed. ' '  *  These  had  been 
familiar  words  to  all  believers  in  the  Lord's  soon  coming. 
By  the  lips  of  thousands  was  this  prophecy  repeated  as  the 
watchword  of  their  faith.  All  felt  that  upon  the  events 
therein  foretold  depended  their  brightest  expectations  and 
most  cherished  hopes.  These  prophetic  days  had  been 
shown  to  terminate  in  the  autumn  of  1844.  In  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world,  Adventists  then  held 
that  the  earth,  or  some  portion  of  it,  was  the  sanctuary. 
They  understood  that  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  was  the 
purification  of  the  earth  by  the  fires  of  the  last  great  day, 
and  that  this  would  take  place  at  the  second  advent.  Hence 
the  conclusion  that  Christ  would  return  to  the  earth  in  1844. 

But  the  appointed  time  had  passed,  and  the  Lord  had  not 
appeared.  The  ])elievers  knew  that  God's  word  could  not 
fail;  their  interpretation  of  the  prophecy  must  be  at  fault; 
but  where  was  the  mistake?  Many  raslily  cut  the  knot  of 
difficulty  by  denying  that  the  2300  days  ended  in  1844. 
No  reason  could  ])e  given  for  this,  except  tliat  Christ  had 
not  come  at  the  time  they  expected  Him.  They  argued  that 
if  the  prophetic  days  had  ended  in  1844,  Christ  would  then 

»Dan.  8:14. 

(409) 


410  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

have  returned  to  cleanse  the  sanctuary  by  the  purification  of 
the  earth  by  fire;  and  that  since  He  had  not  come,  the  days 
could  not  have  ended. 

To  accept  this  conclusion  was  to  renounce  the  former 
reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods.  The  2300  days  had 
been  found  to  begin  when  the  commandment  of  Artaxerxes 
for  the  restoration  and  building  of  Jerusalem,  went  into 
effect,  in  the  autumn  of  b.  c.  457.  Taking  this  as  the 
starting-point,  there  was  perfect  harmony  in  the  application 
of  all  the  events  foretold  in  the  explanation  of  that  period 
in  Dan.  9 :  25-27.  Sixty-nine  weeks,  the  first  483  of  the  2300 
years,  were  to  reach  to  the  ^Messiah,  the  Anointed  One;  and 
Christ's  baptism  and  anointing  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  a.  d.  27, 
exactly  fulfilled  the  s])ecification.  In  the  midst  of  the  sev- 
entieth week,  IMessiah  was  to  be  cut  off.  Tliree  and  a  half 
years  after  His  baptism,  Christ  was  crucified,  in  the  spring  of 
A.  D.  31.  The  seventy  weeks,  or  490  years,  were  to  pertain 
especially  to  the  Jews.  At  the  expiration  of  this  period,  the 
nation  sealed  its  rejection  of  Christ  by  the  persecution  of  His 
disciples,  and  the  apostles  turned  to  the  Gentiles,  a.  d.  34. 
Tlie  first  490  years  of  the  2300  having  then  ended,  1810 
years  would  remain.  From  a.  d.  34,  1810  years  extend  to 
1844.  "Then,"  said  the  angel,  "shall  the  sanctuary  be 
cleansed."  All  the  preceding  specifications  of  the  prophecy 
had   been   unquestionably    fulfilled   at   the    time    appointed. 

"With  this  reckoning,  all  was  clear  and  harmonious, 
except  that  it  was  not  seen  that  any  event  answering  to 
the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  had  taken  place  in  1844. 
To  deny  that  the  days  ended  at  that  time  was  to  involve 
the  whole  question  in  confusion,  and  to  renounce  positions 
whicli  had  been  established  l)y  unmistakable  fulfilments  of 
prophecy. 

But  God  had  led  His  people  in  the  great  Advent  Move- 
ment; His  power  and  glory  had  attended  tlie  work,  and  He 
would  not  permit  it  to  end  in  darkness  and  disappointment, 
to  be  reproached  as  a  false  and  fanatical  excitement.  He 
would  not   leave   His  word  involved  in   doubt   and  uncer- 


'  WHAT  IS  THE  SANCTUARY f  411 

tainty.  Though  many  abandoned  their  former  reckoning 
of  the  prophetic  periods,  and  denied  the  correctness  of  the 
movement  based  thereon,  others  were  unwilling  to  renounce 
points  of  faith  and  experience  that  were  sustained  by  the 
Scriptures  and  by  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  They 
believed  that  they  had  adopted  sound  principles  of  interpre- 
tation in  their  study  of  the  prophecies,  and  that  it  was  their 
duty  to  hold  fast  the  truths  already  gained,  and  to  con- 
tinue the  same  course  of  biblical  research.  "With  earnest 
prayer  they  re\aewed  their  position,  and  studied  the  Scrip- 
tures to  discover  their  mistake.  As  they  could  see  no  error 
in  their  reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods,  they  were  led  to 
examine  more  closely  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary. 

In  their  investigation  they  learned  that  there  is  no 
Scripture  evidence  sustaining  the  popular  view  that  the 
earth  is  the  sanctuary;  but  they  found  in  the  Bible  a  full 
explanation  of  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary,  its  nature,  loca- 
tion, and  services;  the  testimony  of  the  sacred  writers  being 
so  clear  and  ample  as  to  place  the  matter  "beyond  all  ques- 
tion. The  apostle  Paul,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  says : 
"Then  verily  the  first  covenant  had  also  ordinances  of 
divine  service,  and  a  worldly  sanctuary.  For  there  was  a 
tabernacle  made;  the  first,  wherein  Avas  the  candlestick,  and 
the  table,  and  the  showbread;  which  is  called  the  sanctuary. 
And  after  the  second  veil,  the  tabernacle  which  is  called  the 
holiest  of  all ;  which  had  the  golden  censer,  and  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  overlaid  round  a])out  with  gold,  wherein  was 
the  golden  pot  that  had  manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that 
budded,  and  the  tables  of  the  covenant;  and  over  it  the 
cherubim  of  glory  shadowing  the  mercy-seat."* 

The  sanctuary  to  which  Paul  here  refers  was  the  taber- 
nacle built  by  ]\Ioses  at  the  command  of  God,  as  the  earthly 
dwelling-place  of  the  Most  High.  "Let  them  make  Me  a 
sanctuary;  that  I  may  dwell  among  them,'""  was  the  direc- 
tion given  to  Moses  whiles  in  the  mount  with  God.  The 
Israelites  were  journeying  through  the  wilderness,  and  the 
'Heb.  9:1-5.  *  Ex.  25:8. 


412  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

tabernacle  was  so  constructed  that  it  could  be  removed  from 
place  to  place;  yet  it  was  a  structure  of  great  magnificence. 
Its  walls  consisted  of  upright  boards  hea\dly  plated  with 
gold,  and  set  in  sockets  of  silver,  while  the  roof  was  formed 
of  a  series  of  curtains,  or  coverings,  the  outer  of  skins, 
the  innermost  of  fine  linen  beautifully  wrought  with  figures 
of  cherubim.  Besides  the  outer  court,  which  contained  the 
altar  of  burnt-offering,  the  tabernacle  itself  consisted  of  two 
apartments  called  the  holy  and  the  most  holy  place,  sepa- 
rated by  a  rich  and  beautiful  curtain,  or  veil;  a  similar  veil 
closed  the  entrance  to  the  first  apartment. 

In  the  holy  place  was  the  candlestick,  on  the  south,  with 
its  seven  lamps  giving  light  to  the  sanctuary  both  by  day 
and  by  night;  on  the  north  stood  the  table  of  showbread; 
and  before  the  veil  separating  the  holy  from  the  most  holy 
was  the  golden  altar  of  incense,  from  which  the  cloud  of 
fragrance,  with  the  prayers  of  Israel,  was  daily  ascending 
before  God. 

In  the  most  holy  place  stood  the  ark,  a  chest  of  precious 
wood  overlaid  with  gold,  the  depository  of  the  two  tables  of 
stone  upon  which  God  had  inscribed  the  law  of  ten  com- 
mandments. Above  the  ark,  and  forming  the  cover  to  the 
sacred  chest,  was  the  mercy-seat,  a  magnificent  piece  of 
workmanship,  surmounted  by  two  cherubim,  one  at  each 
end,  and  all  wrought  of  solid  gold.  In  this  apartment  the 
divine  presence  was  manifested  in  the  cloud  of  glory  between 
the  cherubim. 

'After  the  settlement  of  the  Hebrews  in  Canaan,  the  taber- 
nacle was  replaced  by  the  temple  of  Solomon,  which,  though 
a  permanent  structure  and  upon  a  larger  scale,  observed 
the  same  proportions,  and  was  similarly  furnished.  In  this 
form  the  sanctuary  existed  —  except  while  it  lay  in  ruins 
in  Daniel's  time  —  until  its  destruction  by  the  Romans, 
in  A.D.  70. 

This  is  the  only  sanctuary  that  ever  existed  on  the  earth, 
of  which  the  Bible  gives  any  information.    This  was  declared 


WHAT  IS  THE  SANCTUARY?  413 

by  Paul  to  be  the  sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant.  But  has 
the  new  covenant  no  sanctuary? 

Turning  again  to  the  book  of  Hebrews,  the  seekers  for 
truth  found  that  the  existence  of  a  second,  or  new-cove- 
nant sanctuary,  was  implied  in  the  words  of  Paul  already 
quoted :  ' '  Then  verily  the  first  covenant  had  also  ordinances 
of  divine  service,  and  a  worldly  sanctuary. ' '  And  the  use  of 
the  word  "also"  intimates  that  Paul  has  before  made  men- 
tion of  this  sanctuary.  Turning  back  to  the  beginning  of 
the  previous  chapter,  they  read:  *'Now  of  the  things  which 
we  have  spoken  this  is  the  sum :  We  have  such  an  high 
priest,  who  is  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the 
Majesty  in  the  heavens;  a  minister  of  the  sanctuary,  and  of 
the  true  tabernacle,  which  tlic  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man." ' 

Here  is  revealed  the  sanctuary  of  the  new  covenant. 
The  sanctuary  of  the  first  covenant  was  pitched  by  man, 
built  by  Moses;  this  is  pitched  by  the  Lord,  not  by  man. 
In  that  sanctuary  the  earthly  priests  performed  their  service; 
in  this,  Christ,  our  great  high  priest,  ministers  at  God's  right 
hand.    One  sanctuary  was  on  earth,  the  other  is  in  heaven. 

Further,  the  tabernacle  built  by  Moses  was  made  after  a 
pattern.  The  Lord  directed  him,  "According  to  all  that  I 
show  thee,  after  the  pattern  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  pat- 
tern of  all  the  instruments  thereof,  even  so  shall  ye  make 
it."  And  again  the  charge  was  given,  "Look  that  thou 
make  them  after  their  pattern,  which  was  showed  thee  in  the 
mount. ' '  ^  And  Paul  says  that  the  first  tabernacle  ' '  was  a 
figure  for  the  time  then  present,  in  which  were  oflPered  both 
gifts  and  sacrifices;"  that  its  holy  places  were  "patterns  of 
things  in  the  heavens;"  that  the  priests  who  offered  gifts 
according  to  the  law,  served  "unto  the  example  and  shadow 
of  heavenly  things,"  and  that  "Christ  is  not  entered  into 
the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  which  are  the  figures  of 
the  true,  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  for  us."' 

»Heb.  8:1,2.  *Ex.  25:9,40.  "Heb.  9:9,23;   8:5;   9:21 


414  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  sanctuary  in  heaven,  in  which  Jesus  ministers  in 
our  behalf,  is  the  great  original,  of  which  the  sanctuary 
built  by  JMoses  was  a  copy.  God  placed  His  Spirit  upon  the 
builders  of  the  earthly  sanctuary.  The  artistic  skill  dis- 
played in  its  construction  was  a  manifestation  of  divine 
wisdom.  The  walls  had  the  appearance  of  massive  gold, 
reflecting  in  every  direction  the  light  of  the  seven  lamps 
of  the  golden  candlestick.  The  table  of  showbread  and  the 
altar  of  incense  glittered  like  burnished  gold.  The  gor- 
geous curtain  which  formed  the  ceiling,  inwrought  with 
figures  of  angels  in  blue  and  purple  and  scarlet,  added  to 
the  beauty  of  the  scene.  And  beyond  the  second  veil  was 
the  holy  shekinah,  the  \dsible  manifestation  of  God's  glory, 
before  Avhieh  none  but  the  high  priest  could  enter  and  live. 

The  matchless  splendor  of  the  earthly  tabernacle  reflected 
to  human  vision  the  glories  of  that  heavenly  temple  where 
Christ  our  forerunner  ministers  for  us  before  the  throne  of 
God.  The  abiding-place  of  the  King  of  kings,  where  thou- 
sand thousands  minister  unto  Him,  and  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand  stand  before  Him ;  *  that  temple,  filled  with 
the  glory  of  the  eternal  throne,  where  seraphim,  its  shining 
guardians,  veil  their  faces  in  adoration,  could  find,  in  the 
most  magnificent  structure  ever  reared  by  human  hands, 
but  a  faint  reflection  of  its  vastness  and  glory.  Yet  impor- 
tant truths  concerning  the  heavenly  sanctuary  and  the 
great  work  there  carried  forward  for  man's  redemption, 
were  taught  by  the  earthly  sanctuary  and  its  services. 

The  holy  places  of  the  sanctuary  in  heaven  are  represented 
by  the  two  apartments  in  the  sanctuary  on  earth.  As  in 
vision  the  apostle  John  was  granted  a  view  of  the  temple  of 
God  in  heaven,  he  beheld  there  "seven  lamps  of  fire  burn- 
ing before  the  throne. ' '  ^  He  saw  an  angel  ' '  having  a  golden 
censer;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that 
he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the 
golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. ' ' '  Here  the 
prophet  was  permitted  to  behold  the  first  apartment  of 
'Dan.  7:10.  ^'Eev.  4:5.  'Rev.  8:3. 


WHAT  IS  THE  SANCTUARY?  415 

the  sanctuary  in  heaven;  and  he  saw  there  the  "seven  lamps 
of  fire"  and  the  "golden  altar,"  represented  by  the  golden 
candlestick  and  the  altar  of  incense  in  the  sanctuary  on 
earth.  Again,  "the  temple  of  God  was  opened,"'  and  he 
looked  within  the  inner  veil,  upon  the  holy  of  holies.  Here 
he  beheld  "the  ark  of  His  testament,"  represented  by  the 
sacred  chest  constructed  by  Moses  to  contain  the  law  of  God. 

Thus  those  who  were  studying  the  subject  found  indispu- 
table proof  of  the  existence  of  a  sanctuary  in  heaven.  i\Ioses 
made  the  earthly  sanctuary  after  a  pattern  which  was 
sliown  him.  Paul  teaches  that  that  pattern  was  the  true 
sanctuary  which  is  in  heaven.  And  John  testifies  that  he 
saw  it  in  heaven. 

In  the  temple  in  heaven,  the  dwelling-place  of  God,  His 
throne  is  established  in  righteousness  and  judgment.  In 
the  most  holy  place  is  His  law,  the  great  rule  of  right  by 
which  all  mankind  are  tested.  The  ark  that  enshrines  the 
tables  of  the  law  is  covered  with  the  mercy-seat,  before 
which  Christ  pleads  His  blood  in  the  sinner's  behalf.  Thus 
is  represented  the  union  of  justice  and  mercy  in  the  plan  of 
human  redemption.  This  union  infinite  wisdom  alone  could 
devise,  and  infinite  power  accomplish ;  it  is  a  union  that 
fills  all  heaven  with  wonder  and  adoration.  The  cheru- 
bim of  the  earthly  sanctuary,  looking  reverently  down  upon 
the  mercy-seat,  represent  the  interest  with  which  the  heav- 
enly host  contemplate  the  work  of  redemption.  Tliis  is  the 
mystery  of  mercy  into  which  angels  desire  to  look, —  that 
God  can  be  just  while  He  justifies  the  repenting  sinner,  and 
renews  His  intercourse  with  the  fallen  race;  that  Christ 
could  stoop  to  raise  unnumbered  multitudes  from  the  abyss 
of  ruin,  and  clothe  them  with  the  spotless  garments  of  His 
own  righteousness,  to  unite  with  angels  who  have  never 
fallen,  and  to  dwell  forever  in  the  presence  of  God. 

The  work  of  Christ  as  man's  intercessor  is  presented 
in  that  beautiful  prophecy  of  Zechariah  concerning  Him 
"whoso  name  is  The  Branch."    Says  the  prophet:  "He  shall 

*Rev.  11:19. 


416  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

build  the  temple  of  the  Lord;  and  He  shall  bear  the  glory, 
and  shall  sit  and  rule  upon  His  [the  Father's]  throne;  and 
He  shall  be  a  priest  upon  His  throne:  and  the  counsel  of 
peace  shall  be  between  Them  both."^ 

"He  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord."  By  His  sacri- 
fice and  mediation,  Christ  is  both  the  foundation  and  the 
builder  of  the  church  of  God.  The  apostle  Paul  points  to 
Him  as  "the  chief  corner-stone;  in  whom  all  the  building 
fitly  framed  together  groweth  unto  a  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord:  in  whom  ye  also,"  he  says,  "are  builded  together 
for  a  hal)itation  of  God  through  the  Spirit."' 

"He  shall  bear  the  glory."  To  Christ  belongs  the  glory 
of  redemption  for  the  fallen  race.  Through  the  eternal 
ages,  the  song  of  the  ransomed  ones  will  be,  ' '  Unto  Him  that 
loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  .  .  . 
to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever. ' '  * 

He  "shall  sit  and  rule  upon  His  throne;  and  He  shall  be 
a  priest  upon  His  throne."  Not  now  "upon  the  throne  of 
His  glory;"  the  kingdom  of  glory  has  not  yet  been  ushered 
in.  Not  until  His  work  as  a  mediator  shall  be  ended,  will 
God  "give  unto  Him  the  throne  of  His  father  David,"  a 
kingdom  of  which  "there  shall  be  no  end."*  As  a  priest, 
Christ  is  now  set  down  with  the  Father  in  His  throne." 
Upon  the  throne  with  the  eternal,  self-existent  One,  is  He 
who  "hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows,"  who 
"was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin,"  that  He  might  be  "able  to  succor  them  that  are 
tempted."  "If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the 
Father.""  His  intercession  is  that  of  a  pierced  and  broken 
body,  of  a  spotless  life.  The  wounded  hands,  the  pierced 
side,  tlie  marred  feet,  plead  for  fallen  man,  whose  redemp- 
tion was  purchased   at  such  infinite   cost. 

"And  the  counsel  of  peace  shall  be  between  Them  both." 
The  love  of  the  Father,  no  less  than  of  the  Son,  is  the  foun- 
tain of  salvation  for  the  lost  race.  Said  Jesus  to  His  dis- 
ciples, before  He  went  away,  ' '  I  say  not  unto  you,  that  I  will 

»Zeeh.  6:13.  ^'Eph.  2:20-22.         « Rev.  1:5,6.      'Luke  1:32,33. 

*Rev.  3:21.        "  Isa.  53:4;  Heb.  4:15;  2:18;  1  John  2:1. 


WHAT  TS  THE  SANCTUARY?  417 

pray  the  Father  for  you:  for  the  Father  Himself  loveth 
you. ' '  *  God  was  ' '  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto 
Himself."*  And  in  the  ministration  in  the  sanctuary  abcrve, 
*'the  counsel  of  peace  shall  be  between  Them  both."  "God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Sen, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."' 

The  question.  What  is  the  sanctuary?  is  clearly  an- 
swered in  the  Scriptures.  The  term  "sanctuary,"  as  used  in 
the  Bible,  refers,  first,  to  the  tabernacle  built  by  Moses,  as 
a  pattern  of  heavenly  things ;  and,  secondly,  to  the  ' '  true 
tabernacle"  in  heaven,  to  which  the  earthly  sanctuary 
pointed.  At  the  death  of  Christ  the  typical  service  ended. 
The  "true  tabernacle"  in  heaven  is  the  sanctuary  of  the 
new  covenant.  And  as  the  prophecy  of  Dan.  8 :  14  is  ful- 
filled in  this  dispensation,  the  sanctuary  to  which  it  refers 
must  be  the  sanctuary  of  the  new  covenant.  At  the  termi- 
niation  of  the  2300  days,  in  1844,  there  had  been  no  sanc- 
tuary on  earth  for  many  centuries.  Thus  the  prophecy, 
"Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  days;  then  shall  the 
sanctuary  be  cleansed,"  unquestionably  points  to  the  sanc- 
tuary in  heaven. 

But  the  most  important  question  remains  to  be  answered : 
What  is  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary?  That  there  was 
such  a  service  in  connection  with  the  earthly  sanctuary,  is 
stated  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  But  can  there  be 
anything  in  heaven  to  be  cleansed?  In  Hebrews  9  the 
cleansing  of  both  the  earthly  and  tlie  heavenly  sanctuary  is 
plainly  taught.  "Almost  all  things  are  by  the  law  purged 
with  blood;  and  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission. 
It  was  therefore  necessary  that  the  patterns  of  things  in  the 
heavens  should  be  purified  with  these  [tlie  blood  of  animals]  ; 
but  the  heavenly  things  themselves  with  better  sacrifices 
than  these,"*  even  the  precious  blood  of  Christ. 

The  cleansing,  both  in  the  typical  and  in  the  real  service, 
must  be  accomplished  with  blood:  in  the  former,  with  the 
» John  16:26,  27.        ==2  001.5:19.        "John  3:16.        *  Heb.  9:22,  23. 

14— G.  ('. 


418  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

blood  of  animals;  in  the  latter,  with  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Paul  states,  as  the  reason  why  this  cleansing  must  be  per- 
formed with  blood,  that  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no 
remission.  Remission,  or  putting  away  of  sin,  is  the  work 
to  be  accomplished.  But  how  could  there  be  sin  connected 
with  the 'sanctuary,  either  in  heaven  or  upon  the  earth? 
This  may  be  learned  by  reference  to  the  symbolic  service; 
for  the  priests  who  officiated  on  earth,  served  "unto  the 
example  and  shadow  of  heavenly   things. ' ' ' 

The  ministration  of  the  earthly  sanctuary  consisted  of 
two  divisions;  the  priests  ministered  daily  in  the  holy  place, 
while  once  a  year  the  high  priest  performed  a  special  work 
of  atonement  in  the  most  holy,  for  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary.  Day  by  day  the  repentant  sinner  brought  his 
offering  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  and  placing  his  hand 
upon  the  victim's  head,  confessed  his  sins,  thus  in  figure 
transfei-ring  them  from  himself  to  the  innocent  sacrifice.  The 
animal  was  then  slain.  "Without  shedding  of  blood,"  says 
the  apostle,  there  is  no  I'emission  of  sin.  "The  life  of  the 
flesh  is  in  the  blood. ' '  ^  The  broken  law  of  God  demanded 
the  life  of  the  transgressor.  The  blood,  representing  the 
forfeited  life  of  the  sinner,  whose  guilt  the  victim  bore,  was 
carried  by  the  priest  into  the  holy  place  and  sprinkled  before 
the  veil,  behind  which  was  the  ark  containing  the  law  that 
the  sinner  had  transgressed.  By  this  ceremony  the  sin  was, 
through  the  blood,  transferred  in  figure  to  the  sanctuary. 
In  some  cases  the  blood  was  not  taken  into  the  holy  place; 
but  the  flesh  was  then  to  be  eaten  by  the  priest,  as  Moses 
directed  the  sons  of  Aaron,  saying,  "God  hath  given  it  you 
to  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  congregation.'"  Both  ceremonies 
alike  symbolized  the  transfer  of  the  sin  from  the  penitent 
to  the  sanctuary. 

Such  was  the  work  that  went  on,  day  by  day,  throughout 

the  year.     The  sins  of  Israel  were  thus  transferred  to  the 

sanctuary,  and  a  special  work  became  necessary  for  their 

removal.     God  commanded  that  an  atonement  be  made  for 

^Heb.  8:5.  ''Lev.  17:11.  'Lev.  10:17. 


WHAT  JS  THE  SANCTUARY f  419 

each  of  the  sacred  apartments.  "He  shall  make  an  atone- 
ment for  the  holy  place,  because  of  the  uncleanness  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  because  of  their  transgressions  in  all 
their  sins:  and  so  shall  he  do  for  the  tabernacle  of  the  eon-  ' 
gregation,  that  remaineth  among  them  in  the  midst  of  their 
uncleanness."  An  atonement  was  also  to  be  made  for  the 
altar,  to  "cleanse  it,  and  hallow  it  from  the  uncleanness  of 
the  children  of  Israel."* 

Once  a  year,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  the  priest 
entered  the  most  holy  place  for  the  cleansing  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. The  work  there  performed  completed  the  yearly 
round  of  ministration.  On  the  day  of  atonement,  two  kids 
of  the  goats  were  brought  to  the  door  of  the  tabernacle, 
and  lots  were  cast  upon  them,  "one  lot  for  the  Lord,  and 
the  other  lot  for  the  scapegoat. ' ' '  The  goat  upon  which 
fell  the  lot  for  the  Lord  was  to  be  slain  as  a  sin-offering 
for  the  people.  And  the  priest  was  to  bring  his  blood 
within  the  veil,  and  sprinkle  it  upon  the  mercy-seat,  and 
before  the  mercy-seat.  The  blood  was  also  to  be  sprinkled 
upon  the  altar  of  incense,   that  was  before  the  veil. 

"And  Aaron  shall  lay  both  his  hands  upon  the  head  of 
the  live  goat,  and  confess  over  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions  in  all  their 
sins,  putting  them  upon  the  head  of  the  goat,  and  shall 
send  him  away  by  the  hand  of  a  fit  man  into  the  wilder- 
ness :  and  the  goat  shall  bear  upon  him  all  their  iniquities 
unto  a  land  not  inhabited. ' '  ^  The  scapegoat  came  no  more 
into  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  the  man  who  led  him  away 
was  required  to  wash  himself  and  his  clothing  with  water 
before  returning  to  the  camp. 

The  whole  ceremony  was  designed  to  impress  the  Israelites 
with  the  holiness  of  God  and  His  abhorrence  of  sin ;  and, 
further,  to  show  them  that  they  could  not  come  in  contact 
with  sin  without  becoming  polluted.  Every  man  was  re- 
quired to  afflict  his  soul  Avhile  this  work  of  atonement  was 
going  forward.  All  business  was  to  be  laid  aside,  and  the 
»Lev.  16:16,19.  *Lev,  16:8,21,22. 


420  rfl-J?:  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

whole  congregation  of  Israel  were  to  spend  the  day  in  solemn 
humiliation  before  God,  with  prayer,  fasting,  and  deep 
searching  of  heart. 
*  Important  truths  concerning  the  atonement  are  taught  by 
the  typical  ser\'ice.  A  substitute  was  accepted  in  the  sinner's 
stead ;  but  the  sin  was  not  canceled  l)y  the  blood  of  the 
victim.  A  means  was  thus  provided  by  which  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  sanctuary.  By  the  offering  of  blood,  the  sinner 
acknowledged  the  authority  of  the  law,  confessed  his  guilt 
in  transgression,  and  expressed  his  desire  for  pardon  through 
faith  in  a  Kedeemer  to  come;  but  he  was  not  yet  entirely 
released  from  the  condemnation  of  the  law.  On  the  day  of 
atonement  the  high  priest,  having  taken  an  offering  from 
the  congregation,  went  into  the  most  holy  place  with  the 
blood  of  this  offering,  and  sprinkled  it  upon  the  mercy-seat, 
directly  over  the  law,  to  make  satisfaction  for  its  claims. 
Then,  in  his  character  of  mediator,  he  took  the  sins  upon 
himself  and  bore  them  from  the  sanctuary.  Placing  his 
hands  upon  the  head  of  the  scapegoat,  he  confessed  over 
him  all  these  sins,  thus  in  figure  transferring  them  from 
himself  to  the  goat.  The  goat  then  ])ore  them  away,  and 
they  were  regarded  as  forever  separated  from  the  people. 

Such  was  the  service  performed  *'unto  the  exam.ple  and 
shadow  of  heavenly  things."  And  what  was  done  in  type  in 
the  ministration  of  the  earthly  sanctuary,  is  done  in  reality 
in  the  ministration  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  After  His 
ascension,  our  Sa\nour  liegan  His  work  as  our  high  priest. 
Says  Paul,  "Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made 
with  hands,  which  are  the  figures  of  the  true;  but  into 
heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."* 

The  ministration  of  the  priest  throughout  the  year  in  the 
first  apartment  of  the  sanctuary,  ''within  the  veil"  which 
formed  the  door  and  separated  the  holy  place  from  the  outer 
court,  represents  the  work  of  ministration  upon  which  Christ 
entered  at  His  ascension.  It  was  the  work  of  the  priest  in 
the  daily  ministration  to  present  before  God  the  blood  of 

^Heb.  9:24. 


WHAT   IS  THE  SANCTUARY?  421 

the  sill-offering,  also  the  incense  which  ascended  with  the 
prayers  of  Israel.  So  did  Christ  plead  His  blood  before  the 
Father  in  behalf  of  sinners,  and  present  before  Him  also, 
with  the  precious  fragrance  of  His  own  righteousness,  the 
prayers  of  penitent  believers.  Such  was  the  work  of  minis- 
tration in  the  first  apartment  of  the  sanctuary  in  heaven. 

Thither  the  faith  of  Christ's  disciples  followed  Him  as  He 
ascended  from  their  sight.  Here  their  hopes  centered, 
"which  hope  we  have,"  said  Paul,  "as  an  anchor  of  the  soul, 
both  sure  and  steadfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within 
the  veil ;  whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  entered,  even  Jesus, 
made  an  high  priest  forever."  ''Neither  by  the  blood  of 
goats  and  calves,  but  by  His  own  blood  He  entered  in  once 
into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption 
for  us."' 

For  eighteen  centuries  this  work  of  ministration  con- 
tinued in  the  first  apartment  of  tlie  sanctuary.  The  blood 
of  Christ,  pleaded  in  behalf  of  penitent  believers,  secured 
their  pardon  and  acceptance  with  the  Father,  yet  their  sins 
still  remained  upon  the  books  of  record.  As  in  the  typical 
service  there  was  a  work  of  atonement  at  the  close  of  the 
year,  so  before  Christ's  work  for  the  redemption  of  men  is 
completed,  there  is  a  work  of  atonement  for  the  removal  of 
sin  from  the  sanctuary.  This  is  the  service  which  began 
Avhen  the  2300  days  ended.  At  that  time,  as  foretold  by 
Daniel  the  prophet,  our  High  Priest  entered  the  most  holy, 
to  perform  the  last  division  of  His  solemn  work, —  to  cleanse 
the  sanctuary. 

As  anciently  the  sins  of  the  people  were  by  faith  placed 
upon  the  sin-offering,  and  through  its  blood  traiisfoi-red, 
in  figure,  to  the  earthly  sanctuary;  so  in  the  new  covenant 
the  sins  of  the  repentant  are  by  faith  placed  upon  Christ, 
and  transferred,  in  fact,  to  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  And 
as  the  typical  cleansing  of  the  earthly  was  accomplished 
by  the  removal  of  the  sins  by  which  it  had  been  polluted, 
so  the  actual  cleansing  of  the  heavenly  is  to  be  accomplished 
*Heb.  6:19,20;  9:12. 


422  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

by  the  removal,  or  blotting  out,  of  the  sins  which  are  there 
recorded.  But  before  this  can  be  accomplished,  there  must 
be  an  examination  of  the  books  of  record  to  determine  who, 
through  repentance  of  sin  and  faith  in  Christ,  are  entitled 
to  the  benefits  of  His  atonement.  The  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary  therefore  involves  a  work  of  investigation, —  a 
work  of  judgment.  This  work  must  be  performed  prior  to 
the  coming  of  Christ  to  redeem  His  people;  for  when  He 
comes,  His  reward  is  with  Him  to  give  to  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  works.* 

Thus  those  who  followed  in  the  light  of  the  prophetic 
word  saw  that,  instead  of  coming  to  the  earth  at  the  ter- 
mination of  the  2300  days  in  1844,  Christ  then  entered 
the  most  holy  place  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  to  perform 
the  closing  work  of  atonement,  preparatory  to  His  coming. 

It  was  seen,  also,  that  while  the  sin-offering  pointed  to 
Christ  as  a  sacrifice,  and  the  high  priest  represented  Christ 
as  a  mediator,  the  scapegoat  typified  Satan,  the  author  of  sin, 
upon  whom  the  sins  of  the  truly  penitent  will  finally  be 
placed.  When  the  high  priest,  by  virtue  of  the  blood  of 
the  sin-offering,  removed  the  sins  from  the  sanctuary,  he 
placed  them  upon  the  scapegoat.  When  Christ,  by  virtue 
of  His  own  blood,  removes  the  sins  of  His  people  from  the 
heavenly  sanctuary  at  the  close  of  His  ministration.  He  will 
place  them  upon  Satan,  who,  in  the  execution  of  the  judg- 
ment, must  bear  the  final  penalty.  The  scapegoat  was 
sent  away  into  a  land  not  inhabited,  never  to  come  again 
into  the  congregation  of  Israel.  So  will  Satan  be  forever 
banished  from  the  presence  of  God  and  His  people,  and  he 
will  be  blotted  from  existence  in  the  final  destruction  of  sin 
and  sinners. 

>Eev.  22:12. 


IN  THE   HOLY  OF  HOLIES-24 

The  subject  of  the  sanctuary  was  the  key  which  unlocked 
the  mystery  of  the  disappointment  of  1844.  It  opened  to 
view  a  complete  system  of  truth,  connected  and  harmonious, 
showing  that  God's  hand  had  directed  the  great  Advent 
Movement,  and  revealing  present  duty  as  it  })rought  to  light 
the  position  and  work  of  His  people.  As  the  disciples  of 
Jesus,  after  the  terrible  night  of  their  anguish  and  disap- 
pointment, were  "glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord,"  so  did 
those  now  rejoice  who  had  looked  in  faith  for  His  second 
coming.  They  had  expected  Him  to  appear  in  glory  to  give 
reward  to  His  servants.  As  their  hopes  were  disappointed, 
they  had  lost  sight  of  Jesus,  and  with  Mary  at  the  sepuleher 
they  cried,  "They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not 
where  they  have  laid  Him."  Now  in  the  holy  of  holies  they 
again  beheld  Him,  their  compassionate  high  priest,  soon  to 
appear  as  their  king  and  deliverer.  Light  from  the  sanc- 
tuary illumed  the  past,  the  present,  and  the  future.  They 
knew  that  God  liad  led  them  by  His  unerring  providence. 
Though,  like  the  first  disciples,  they  themselves  had  faih^d  to 
understand  the  message  which  they  bore,  yet  it  had  been  in 
every  respect  correct.  In  proclaiming  it  they  had  fulfilled 
the  purpose  of  God,  and  their  labor  had  not  been  in  vain 
in  the  Lord.  "Begotten  again  unto  a  lively  hope,"  they 
rejoiced  "with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 

(423) 


424  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Both  the  prophecy  of  Dan.  8:14,  "Unto  two  thousand  and 
three  hundred  days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed," 
and  the  first  angel's  message,  "Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to 
Him;  for  the  hour  of  His  judgment  is  come,"  pointed  to 
Christ's  ministration  in  the  most  holy  place,  to  the  investi- 
gative judgment,  and  not  to  the  coming  of  Christ  for  the 
redemption  of  His  people  and  the  destruction  of  the  wicked. 
The  mistake  had  not  been  in  the  reckoning  of  the  prophetic 
periods,  but  in  the  event  to  take  place  at  the  end  of  the  2300 
days.  Through  this  error  the  believers  had  suffered  dis- 
appointment, yet  all  that  was  foretold  by  the  prophecy,  and 
all  that  they  had  any  Scripture  warrant  to  expect,  had  been 
accomplished.  At  the  very  time  when  they  were  lament- 
ing the  failure  of  their  hopes,  the  event  had  taken  place 
which  was  foretold  by  the  message,  and  which  must  be 
fulfilled  before  the  Lord  could  ai)pear  to  give  reward  to  His 
servants.  '' 

Christ  had  come,  not  to  the  earth,  as  they  expected,  but, 
as  foreshadowed  in  the  type,  to  the  most  holy  place  of  the 
temple  of  God  in  heaven.  He  is  represented  by  the  prophet 
Daniel  as  coming  at  this  time  to  the  AneicTit  of  days:  "I 
saw  in  the  night  visions,  and,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came" — not  to 
the  earth,  but — "to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought 
Him  near  before  Him. "  ' 

This  coming  is  foretold  also  by  the  prophet  Malachi : 
"The  Lord,  whom  ye  seek,  shall  suddenly  come  to  His  tem- 
ple, even  the  messenger  of  the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight 
in :  behold,  He  shall  come,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts. ' ' '  The 
coming  of  the  Lord  to  His  temple  was  sudden,  unexpected, 
to  His  people.  They  were  not  looking  for  Him  there.  They 
expected  Him  to  come  to  earth,  "in  fiaming  fire  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  knoAV  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
the  gospel. ' ' ' 

But  the  people  were  not  yet  ready  to  meet  their  Lord. 
There  was  still  a  work  of  preparation  to  be  accomplished 
*Dan.  7:13  *Mal.  3:1.  '  ?  T^hess.  1:«, 


IN   THE   HOLY  OF  BOLTES  425 

for  them.  Li^ht  was  to  bo  f?iven,  directing  their  minds  to 
the  temple  of  God  in  heaven;  and  as  they  should  by  faith 
follow  their  Higli  Priest  in  His  ministration  tliere,  new  duties 
would  be  revealed.  Another  message  of  warning  and  in- 
struction >vas  to  be  given  to  the  church. 

Says  the  prophet:  "Who  may  abide  the  day  of  Tlis  com- 
ing? and  who  shall  stand  when  He  appeareth?  for  He  is 
like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  fullers'  soap:  and  He  shall  sit 
as  a  refiner  and  purifier  of  silver :  and  He  shall  purify  the 
sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they 
may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness. ' ' ' 
Those  who  are  living  upon  the  earth  when  the  intercession 
of  Christ  shall  cease  in  the  sanctuary  above,  are  to  stand 
in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God  without  a  mediator.  Their  robes 
must  be  spotless,  their  characters  must  be  purified  from  sin 
by  the  blood  of  sprinkling  Through  the  grace  of  God  and 
their  own  diligent  effort,  they  nuist  he  conquerors  in  the 
battle  with  evil.  While  the  investigative  judgment  is  going 
forward  in  heaven,  while  the  sins  of  penitent  believers  are 
being  removed  from  the  sanctuary,  there  is  to  be  a  special 
work  of  purification,  of  putting  away  of  sin,  among  God's 
people  upon  earth.  This  work  is  more  clearly  presented 
in  the  messages  of  Revelation  14. 

When  this  work  shall  have  been  accomplished,  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  will  be  ready  for  His  appearing.  "Then 
shall  the  offering  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem  be  pleasant  unto 
the  Lord,  as  in  the  days  of  old,  and  as  in  former  years. ' '  ^ 
Then  the  church  which  our  Lord  at  His  coming  is  to  re- 
ceive to  Himself  will  bo  "a  glorious  church,  not  having 
spot,  or  Avrinkle,  or  any  such  thing. ' ' '  Then  she  will  look 
forth  "as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun, 
and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners."* 

Besides  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  His  temple,  Malachi 
also  foretells  His  second  advent,  His  coming  for  the  execution 
of  the  judgment,  in  these  words :  ' '  And  I  will  come  near  to 
you  to  judgment;  and  I  will  be  a  sudft  witness  against  the 

^Mal.  3:2,3.  *Mal.  3:4.  '  Eph.  5:27.  ♦Cant.  6:10.      -: 


426  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

sorcerers,  and  against  the  adulterers,  and  against  false 
swearers,  and  against  those  that  oppress  the  hireling  in  his 
wages,  the  widow,  and  the  fatherless,  and  that  turn  aside 
the  stranger  from  his  right,  and  fear  not  Me,  saitli  the  Lord 
of  hosts. ' '  *  Jude  refers  to  the  same  scene  when  he  says, 
' '  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  mth  ten  thousands  of  His  saints, 
to  execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are 
ungodly  among  them  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds. ' ' '  This 
coming,  and  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  His  temple,  are  dis- 
tinct and  separate  events. 

The  coming  of  Christ  as  our  high  priest  to  the  most  holy 
place,  for  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary,  brought  to  view  in 
Dan.  8:14;  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  to  the  Ancient  of 
days,  as  presented  in  Dan.  7:13;  and  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  to  His  temple,  foretold  by  Malachi,  are  descriptions  of 
the  same  event;  and  this  is  also  represented  by  the  coming 
of  the  bridegroom  to  the  marriage,  described  by  Christ  in 
the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins,  of  Matthew  25. 

In  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1844,  the  proclamation, 
"Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh,"  was  given.  The  two 
classes  represented  by  tlie  wise  and  foolish  virgins  were 
then  developed, —  one  class  who  looked  with  joy  to  the 
Lord's  appearing,  and  who  had  been  diligently  preparing 
to  meet  Him;  another  class  that,  influenced  by  fear,  and 
acting  from  impulse,  had  been  satisfied  with  a  theory  of  the 
truth,  but  were  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God.  In  the  par- 
able, when  the  bridegroom  came,  "they  that  were  ready  went 
in  with  him  to  the  marriage."  The  coming  of  the  bride- 
groom, here  brought  to  view,  takes  place  before  the  mar- 
riage. The  marriage  represents  the  reception  by  Christ  of 
His  kingdom.  The  holy  city,  the  New  Jerusalem,  which  is 
the  capital  and  representative  of  the  kingdom,  is  called  "the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife."  Said  the  angel  to  John,  "Come 
hither,  I  will  show  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife."  "He 
carried  me  away  in  the  spirit,"  says  the  prophet,  "and 
showed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending 
^Mal.  3:5.  *Jude  14,15. 


IN  THE  HOLY  OF  HOLIES  427 

out  of  heaven  from  God."*  Clearly,  then,  the  bride  repre- 
sents the  holy  city,  and  the  virgins  that  go  out  to  meet  the 
bridegroom  are  a  symbol  of  the  church.  In  the  Revelation 
the  people  of  God  are  said  to  be  the  guests  at  the  marriage 
supper."  If  guests,  they  cannot  be  represented  also  as  the 
bride.  Christ,  as  stated  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  will  re- 
ceive from  the  Ancient  of  days  in  heaven,  "dominion,  and 
glory,  and  a  kingdom ; ' '  He  will  receive  tlie  New  Jerusalem, 
the  capital  of  His  kingdom,  "prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband."'  Having  received  the  kingdom,  He  will 
come  in  His  glory,  as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  for 
the  redemption  of  His  people,  who  are  to  "sit  down  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,"  at  His  table  in  His  king- 
dom,* to  partake  of  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 

The  proclamation,  "Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh,"  in 
the  summer  of  1844,  led  thousands  to  expect  the  immediate 
advent  of  the  Lord.  At  the  appointed  time  the  Bridegroom 
came,  not  to  the  earth,  as  the  people  expected,  but  to  the 
Ancient  of  days  in  heaven,  to  the  marriage,  the  reception  of 
His  kingdom.  "They  that  were  ready  went  in  with  Him  to 
the  marriage,  and  the  door  was  shut."  They  were  not 
to  be  present  in  person  at  the  marriage;  for  it  takes  place 
in  heaven,  while  they  are  upon  the.  earth.  The  followers  of 
Christ  are  to  "wait  for  their  Lord,  when  He  will  return 
from  tlie  wedding. ' '  '^  But  they  are  to  understand  His  work, 
and  to  follow  Him  by  faith  as  He  goes  in  before  God.  It  is 
in  this  sense  tliat  they  are  said  to  go  in  to  the  marriage. 

In  the  parable  it  was  tliose  that  had  oil  in  their  vessels 
with  their  lamps  that  went  in  to  tlie  marriage.  Those  who, 
with  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  from  the  Scriptures,  had  also 
the  Spirit  and  grace  of  God,  and  who,  in  the  night  of  their 
bitter  trial,  had  patiently  waited,  searching  the  Bible  for 
clearer  light, —  these  saw  the  truth  concerning  the  sanctuary 
in  heaven  and  the  Saviour's  change  of  ministration,  and 
by  faith  they  followed  Him  in  His  work  in  the  sanctuary 
above.     And  all  who  through  the  testimony  of  the  Scrip- 

'Eev.  21:9,10.  »Rev.   19:9.  ^Ban.  7:14;   Rev.  21:2. 

♦Matt.  8:11;   Luke  22:30.  "Luke  12:36. 


428  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

tures  accept  the  same  truths,  following  Christ  by  faith  as 
He  enters  in  before  God  to  perform  the  last  work  of  media- 
tion, and  at  its  close  to  receive  His  kingdom, —  all  these  are 
represented  as  going  in  to  the  marriage. 

In  the  parable  of  Matthew  22  the  same  figure  of  the 
marriage  is  introduced,  and  the  investigative  judgment  is 
clearly  represented  as  taking  place  before  the  marriage. 
Previous  to  the  wedding  the  king  comes  in  to  see  the  guests,' 
to  see  if  all  are  attired  in  the  wedding  garment,  the  spot- 
less robe  of  character  washed  and  made  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb."  He  who  is  found  wanting  is  cast  out,  but 
all  who  upon  examination  are  seen  to  have  the  wedding 
garment  on,  are  "accepted  of  Ood,  and  accounted  worthy  of 
a  share  in  His  kingdom  and  a  seat  upon  His  throne.  This 
Svork  of  examination  of  character,  of  determining  who  are 
prepared  for  tlie  kingdom  of  God,  is  that  of  the  investigative 
judgment,  the  closing  Avork  in  the  sanctuary  above. 

When  the  work  of  investigation  shall  be  ended,  when  the 
cases  of  those  who  in  all  ages  have  professed  to  be  followers 
of  Christ  have  been  examined  and  decided,  then,  and  not 
till  then,  probation  will  close,  and  the  door  of  mercy  will  be 
shut.  Thus  in  the  one  short  sentence,  "They  that  were 
ready  went  in  with  Him  to  the  marriage,  and  the  door  was 
shut,"  we  are  carried  down  through  the  Saviour's  final 
ministration,  to  the  time  when  the  great  work  for  man's 
salvation  shall  be  completed. 

In  the  service  of  the  earthly  sanctuary,  which,  as  we  liave 
seen,  is  a  figure  of  the  service  in  the  heavenly,  when  the 
high  priest  on  the  day  of  atonement  entered  the  most  holy 
place,  the  ministration  in  the  first  apartment  ceased.  God 
commanded,  "There  shall  be  no  man  in  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation  when  he  goeth  in  to  make  an  atonement 
in  the  holy  place,  until  lie  come  out."*  So  when  Christ 
entered  the  holy  of  holies  to  perform  the  closing  work  of 
the  atonement,  He  ceased  His  ministration  in  the  first  apart- 
ment. But  when  the  ministration  in  the  first  apartment 
»Matt.  22:11.  'Eev.  7:14.  «Lev.  16:17. 


IN  THE  HOLY  OF  HOLIES  429 

ended,  the  ministration  in  the  second  apartment  began. 
When  in  the  typical  service  the  high  priest  left  the  holy  on 
the  day  of  atonement,  he  went  in  before  God  to  present  the 
blood  of  the  sin-offering  in  behalf  of  all  Israel  who  truly 
repented  of  their  sins.  So  Christ  had  only  completed  one 
part  of  His  work  as  our  intercessor,  to  enter  upon  another 
portion  of  the  work,  and  He  still  pleaded  His  blood  before 
the  Father  in  behalf  of  sinners.  'li  i 

This  subject  was  not  understood  by  Adventists  in  1844. 
After  the  passing  of  the  time  when  the  Saviour  was  expected, 
they  still  believed  His  coming  to  be  near;  they  held  that 
they  had  reached  an  important  crisis,  and  that  the  work  of 
Christ  as  man's  intercessor  before  God,  had  ceased.  It  ap- 
peared to  them  to  be  taught  in  the  Bible,  that  man's  proba- 
tion would  close  a  short  time  before  the  actual  coming  of 
the  Lord  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  This  seemed  evident 
from  those  scriptures  which  point  to  a  time  when  men 
will  seek,  knock,  and  cry  at  the  door  of  mercy,  and  it  will 
not  be  opened.  And  it  was  a  question  with  them  whether 
the  date  to  which  they  had  looked  for  the  coming  of  Christ 
might  not  rather  mark  the  beginning  of  this  period  which 
was  immediately  to  precede  His  coming.  Having  given  the 
warning  of  the  judgment  near,  they  felt  that  their  work  for 
the  world  was  done,  and  they  lost  their  burden  of  soul  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners,  while  the  bold  and  blasphemous 
scoffing  of  the  ungodly  seemed  to  them  another  evidence 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  had  been  Avithdrawn  from  the  re- 
jecters of  liis  mercy.  All  this  confirmed  them  in  the 
belief  that  probation  had  ended,  or,  as  they  then  expressed 
it,  ''the  door  of  mercy  was  shut." 

But  clearer  light  came  with  the  investigation  of  the  sanc- 
tuary question.  They  now  saw  that  they  were  correct  in 
believing  that  the  end  of  the  2300  days  in  1844  marked  an 
important  crisis.  But  while  it  was  true  that  tluit  door  of 
hope  and  mercy  by  which  men  had  for  eighteen  hundred 
years   found   access  to   God,   was   closed,    another   door   was 


(430  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

opened,  and  forgiveness  of  sins  was  offered  to  men  through 
the  intercession  of  Christ  in  the  most  holy.  One  part  of  His 
ministration  had  closed,  only  to  give  place  to  another. 
There  was  still  an  "open  door"  to  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
where  Christ  was  ministering  in  the  sinner's  behalf. 

Now  was  seen  the  application  of  those  words  of  Christ  in 
the  Revelation,  addressed  to  the  church  at  this  very  time: 
"These  things  saith  He  that  is  holy,  He  that  is  true,  He 
that  hath  the  key  of  David,  He  that  openeth,  and  no  man 
shutteth ;  and  shutteth,  and  no  man  openeth ;  I  know  thy 
works:  behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  an  open  door,  and 
no  man   can  shut  it. "  ^ 

It  is  those  who  by  faith  follow  Jesus  in  the  great  work  of 
the  atonement,  who  receive  the  benefits  of  His  mediation  in 
their  behalf;  while  those  who  reject  the  light  which  brings 
to  view  this  work  of  ministration,  are  not  benefited  thereby. 
The  Jews  who  rejected  the  light  given  at  Christ's  first 
advent,  and  refused  to  believe  on  Him  as  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  could  not  receive  pardon  through  Him.  When  Jesus 
at  His  ascension  entered  by  His  own  blood  into  the  heavenly 
sanctuary  to  shed  upon  His  disciples  the  blessings  of  His 
mediation,  the  Jews  were  left  in  total  darkness,  to  continue 
their  useless  sacrifices  and  offerings.  The  ministration  of 
types  and  shadows  had  ceased.  That  door  by  which  men 
had  formerly  found  access  to  God,  was  no  longer  open.  The 
Jews  had  refused  to  seek  Him  in  the  only  way  whereby  He 
could  then  be  found,  through  the  ministration  in  the  sanc- 
tuary in  heaven.  Therefore  they  found  no  communion 
with  God.  To  them  the  door  was  shut.  They  had  no 
knowledge  of  Christ  as  the  true  sacrifice  and  the  only  medi- 
ator before  God;  hence  they  could  not  receive  the  benefits 
of  His  mediation. 

The  condition  of  the  unbelieving  Jews  illustrates  the 
condition  of  the  careless  and  unbelieving  among  professed 
Christians,  who  are  willingly  ignorant  of  the  work  of  our 
merciful   High   Priest.      In   the   typical    service,    when   the 

»Eev.  3:7,8. 


IN  THE  HOLY  OF  HOLIES  431 

hifjh  priest  entered  the  most  holy  place,  all  Israel  were  re- 
quired to  gather  about  the  sanctuary,  and  in  the  most  solemn 
manner  humble  their  souls  before  God,  that  they  might  re- 
ceive the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  not  be  cut  off  from  the 
congregation.  How  much  more  essential  in  this  antityp- 
ical  day  of  atonement  that  we  understand  the  work  of  our 
High   Priest,    and   know   what    duties   are    required   of   us. 

Men  cannot  Mdth  impunity  reject  the  warnings  which 
God  in  mercy  sends  them.  A  message  was  sent  from 
heaven  to  the  world  in  Noah's  day,  and  their  salvation 
depended  upon  the  manner  in  which  they  treated  that  mes- 
sage. Because  they  rejected  the  warning,  the  Spirit  of  God 
was  withdrawn  from  the  sinful  race,  and  they  perished  in 
the  waters  of  the  flood.  In  the  time  of  Abraham,  mercy 
ceased  to  plead  with  the  guilty  inhabitants  of  Sodom,  and 
all  but  Lot  with  his  wife  and  two  daughters,  were  consumed 
by  the  fire  sent  down  from  heaven.  So  in  the  days  of  Christ. 
The  Son  of  God  declared  to  the  unbelieving  Jews'  of  that 
generation,  ' '  Your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate. ' '  *  Look- 
ing down  to  the  last  days,  the  same  Infinite  Power  declares, 
concerning  those  who  "received  not  the  love  of  the  truth, 
that' they  might  be  saved,"  ''For  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie:  that 
they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness."^  As  they  reject  the 
teachings  of  His  word,  God  withdraws  His  Spirit,  and  leaves 
them  to  the  deceptions  which  they  love. 

But  Christ  still  intercedes  in  man's  behalf,  and  light  will 
be  given  to  those  who  seek  it.  Though  this  was  not  at  first 
understood  by  Adventists,  it  was  afterward  made  plain,  as 
the  scriptures  which  define  their  true  position  began  to  open 
before  them. 

The  passing  of  the  time  in  1844  was  followed  by  a  period 

of    great    trial   to    those   who    still    held   the    advent    faith. 

Their  only  relief,  so  far  as  ascertaining  their  true  position 

was  concerned,  was  the  light  which  directed  their  minds  to 

^Matt.  23:38.  »3  Thess.  3:10-12. 


432 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


the  sanctuary  above.  Some  renounced  their  faith  in  their 
former  reckoning  of  the  prophetic  periods,  and  ascribed  to 
human  oi-  satanie  agencies  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  which  had  attended  the  Advent  JNIoveraent. 
Another  class  firmly  held  that  the  Lord  had  led  them  in 
their  past  experience;  and  as  they  waited  and  watched  and 
prayed  to  know  the  \\dll  of  God,  they  saw  that  their  great 
High  Priest  had  entered  upon  another  work  of  ministration, 
and  following  Him  by  faith,  they  were  led  to  see  also  the 
closing  work  of  the  church.  They  had  a  clearer  under- 
standing of  the  first  and  second  angels'  messages,  and  Avere 
prepared  to  receive  and  give  to  the  world  the  solemn  warn- 
ing of  the  third  angel  of  Revelation  14. 


GOD'S    LAW    IMMUTABLE-25 

''The  temple  of  God  was  opened  in  heaven,  and  there 
was  seen  in  His  temple  the  ark  of  His  testament."*  The  ark 
of  God's  testament  is  in  the  holy  of  holies,  the  second  apart- 
ment of  the  sanctuary.  In  the  ministration  of  tlie  earthly 
tabernacle,  which  served  ''unto  the  example  and  shadow  of 
heavenly  things,"  this  apartment  was  opened  only  upon  the 
great  day  of  atonement,  for  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary. 
Therefore  the  announcement  that  the  temple  of  God  was 
opened  in  heaven,  and  the  ark  of  His  testament  was  seen, 
points  to  the  opening  of  the  most  holy  place  of  the  heavenly 
sanctuary,  in  1844,  as  Christ  entered  there  to  perform  the 
closing  work  of  the  atonement.  Those  who  by  faith  followed 
their  great  High  Priest,  as  He  entered  upon  His  ministry  in 
the  most  holy  place,  beheld  the  ark  of  His  testament.  As 
they  had  studied  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary,  they  had 
come  to  understand  the  Saviour's  change  of  ministration, 
and  they  saw  that  He  was  now  officiating  before  the  ark  of 
God,  pleading  His  blood  in  behalf  of  sinners. 

The  ark  in  the  tabernacle  on  earth  contained  the  two 
tables  of  stone,  upon  which  were  inscribed  the  precepts  of 
the  law  of  God.  The  ark  was  merely  a  receptacle  for  the 
tables  of  the  law,  and  the  presence  of  these  di^^ne  precepts 
gave  to  it  its  value  and  saeredness.  "When  the  temple  of  God 
was  opened  in  heaven,  the  ark  of  His  testament  was  seen. 

'Eev.  11:19. 

(433) 


434  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Within  the  holy  of  holies,  in  the  sanctuary  in  heaven,  the 
divine  law  is  sacredly  enshrined, —  the  law  that  was  spoken 
by  God  Himself  amid  the  thunders  of  Sinai,  and  written 
with  His  o^Ti  finger  on  the  tables  of  stone. 

The  law  of  God  in  the  sanctuary  in  heaven  is  the  great 
original,  of  which  the  precepts  inscribed  upon  the  tables  of 
stone,  and  recorded  by  Moses  in  the  Pentateuch,  were  an 
unerring  transcript.  Those  who  arrived  at  an  understand- 
ing of  this  important  point,  were  thus  led  to  see  the  sacred, 
unchanging  character  of  the  divine  law.  They  saw,  as 
never  before,  the  force  of  the  Saviour's  words,  "Till  heaven 
and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass 
from  the  law. ' '  *  The  law  of  God,  being  a  revelation  of  His 
will,  a  transcript  of  His  character,  must  forever  endure,  "as 
a  faithful  witness  in  heaven."  Not  one  command  has  been 
annulled;  not  a  jot  or  tittle  has  been  changed.  Says  the 
psalmist:  "Forever,  O  Lord,  Thy  word  is  settled  in  heaven." 
"All  His  commandments  are  sure.  They  stand  fast  forever 
and  ever. ' ' " 

In  the  very  l)Osora  of  the  decalogue  is  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, as  it  was  first  proclaimed:  "Remember  the  Sab- 
bath day,  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor,  and  do 
all  thy  work:  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord  thy  God:  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work,  thou, 
nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy 
maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is 
within  thy  gates:  for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven 
and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the 
seventh  day:  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath  day, 
and  hallowed  it. "  ^ 

The  Spirit  of  God  impressed  the  hearts  of  those  students 
of  His  word.  The  conviction  was  urged  upon  them,  that 
they  had  ignorantly  transgressed  this  precept  by  disregard- 
ing the  Creator's  rest-day.  They  began  to  examine  the 
reasons  for  observing  the  first  day  of  the  week  instead  of 
the   day  which   God  had   sanctified.     They   could   find  no 

»Matt.  5:18.  ^Ps.  119; 89 j  111:7,8.  "Ex.  20:8-11. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  435 

evidence  in  the  Scriptures  that  the  fourth  commandment 
had  been  abolished,  or  that  the  Sabbath  had  been  changed; 
the  blessing  which  first  hallowed  the  seventh  day  had 
never  been  removed.  They  had  been  honestly  seeking  to 
know  and  to  do  God's  will;  now,  as  they  saw  themselves 
transgressors  of  His  law,  sorrow  filled  their  hearts,  and 
they  manifested  their  loyalty  to  God  by  keeping  His  Sab- 
bath holy. 

Many  and  earnest  were  the  efforts  made  to  overthrow 
their  faith.  None  could  fail  to  see  that  if  the  earthly  sanc- 
tuary was  a  figure  or  pattern  of  the  heavenly,  the  law 
deposited  in  the  ark  on  earth  was  an  exact  transcript  of 
the  law  in  the  ark  in  heaven;  and  that  an  acceptance 
of  the  truth  concerning  the  heavenly  sanctuary  involved  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  claims  of  God's  law,  and  the  obliga- 
tion of  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment.  Here  was 
the  secret  of  the  bitter  and  determined  opposition  to  the  har- 
monious exposition  of  the  Scriptures  that  revealed  the  minis- 
tration of  Christ  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  JMen  sought  to 
close  the  door  which  God  had  opened,  and  to  open  the  door 
which  He  had  closed.  But  "He  that  openeth,  and  no  man 
shutteth;  and  shutteth,  and  no  man  openeth,"  had  declared, 
"Behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man 
can  shut  it. "  *  Christ  had  opened  the  door,  or  ministration, 
of  the  most  holy  place,  light  was  shining  fnmi  that  open  door 
of  the  sanctuary  in  heaven,  and  the  fourth  commandment 
was  shown  to  be  included  in  the  law  which  is  there  en- 
shrined; what  God  had  established,  no  man  could  overthrow. 

Those  who  had  accepted  the  light  concerning  the  media- 
tion of  Christ  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  law  of  God,  found 
that  these  were  the  truths  presented  in  Revelation  14.  The 
messages  of  this  chapter  constitute  a  threefold  warning,' 
which  is  to  prepare  the  inha])itants  of  the  earth  for  the 
Lord's  second  coming.  The  annoiuieement,  "The  hour  of 
His  judgment  is  come,"  points  to  the  closing  work  of 
Christ's  ministration  for  the  salvation  of  men.  It  heralds 
•Rev.  3:7,8.  "See  Appendix. 


436  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

a  truth  which  must  be  proclaimed  until  the  Saviour's  in- 
tercession shall  cease,  and  He  shall  return  to  the  earth  to 
take  His  people  to  Himself.  The  work  of  judgment  which 
began  in  1844,  must  continue  until  the  cases  of  all  are 
decided,  both  of  the  living  and  the  dead;  hence  it  will  ex- 
tend to  the  close  of  human  probation.  That  men  may  be 
prepared  to  stand  in  the  judgment,  the  message  commands 
them  to  "fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  Him,"  "and  worship 
Him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the 
fountains  of  waters."  The  result  of  an  acceptance  of  these 
messages  is  given  in  the  words,  "Here  are  they  that  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus."  In 
order  to  be  prepared  for  the  judgment,  it  is  necessary  that 
men  should  keep  the  law  of  God.  That  law  will  be  the 
standard  of  character  in  the  judgment.  The  apostle  Paul 
declares,  "As  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law  shall  be 
judged  by  the  law,  ...  in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge 
tlie  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ."  And  he  says  that  "the 
doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified. ' ' '  Faith  is  essential  in 
order  to  the  keeping  of  the  law  of  God;  for  "without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  Him."  And  "whatsoever  is  not  of 
faith  is  sin. ' '  * 

By  the  first  angel,  men  are  called  upon  to  "fear  God, -and 
give  glory  to  Him,"  and  to  worship  Him  as  the  Creator  of 
the  heavens  and  the  earth.  In  order  to  do  this,  they  must 
obey  His  law.  Says  the  wise  man,  "Fear  God,  and  keep  His 
commandments:  for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man."'  With- 
out obedience  to  His  commandments,  no  worship  can  be 
pleasing  to  God.  "This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep 
His  commandments."  "He  that  turneth  away  his  ear  from 
hearing  the  law,  even  his  prayer  shall  be  abomination."* 

The  duty  to  worship  God  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  He 
is  the  Creator,  and  that  to  Him  all  other  beings  owe  their 
existence.  And  wherever,  in  the  Bible,  His  claim  to  rever- 
ence and  worship,  above  the  gods  of  the  heathen,  is  pre- 

»Rom.  2:12-16.  «Heb.  11:6;  Rom.  14:23. 

»Eccl.  12:13.  'l  John  5:3;  Prov.  28:9. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  437 

sented,  there  is  cited  the  evidence  of  His  creative  power. 
"All  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  idols:  but  the  Lord  made 
the  heavens."*  "To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  Me,  or  shall 
I  be  equal?  saith  the  Holy  One.  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high, 
and  behold  who  hath  created  these  things."  "Thus  saith 
the  Lord  that  created  the  heavens;  God  Himself  that  formed 
the  earth  and  made  it:  ...  I  am  Jehovah;  and  there  is 
none  else."*  Says  the  psalmist,  "Know  ye  that  Jehovah, 
He  is  God:  it  is  He  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  our- 
selves." "0  come,  let  us  worship  and  bow  down:  let  us 
kneel  before  the  Lord  our  Maker."*  And  the  holy  beings 
who  worship  God  in  heaven  state,  as  the  reason  why  their 
homage  is  due  to  Him,  "Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to 
receive  glory  and  honor  and  power:  for  Thou  hast  created 
all  things."* 

In  Revelation  14,  men  are  called  upon  to  worship  the 
Creator;  and  the  prophecy  brings  to  view  a  class  that,  as 
the  result  of  the  threefold  message,  are  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  God.  One  of  these  commandments  points 
directly  to  God  as  the  creator.  The  fourth  precept  declares: 
"The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God:  .  .  . 
for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea, 
and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day:  where- 
fore the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath  day,  and  hallowed  it. " ' 
Concerning  the  Sabbath,  the  Lord  says,  further,  that  it 
is  "a  sign,  .  .  .  that  ye  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  your 
God. ' '  •  And  the  reason  given  is,  * '  For  in  six  days  the 
Lord  made  heaven  and  earth,  and  on  the  seventh  day  He 
rested,  and  was  refreshed."* 

"The  importance  of  the  Sabbath  as  a  memorial  of  crea- 
tion is  that  it  keeps  ever  present  the  true  reason  why  wor- 
ship is  due  to  God," — because  He  is  the  Creator,  and  we 
are  His  creatures.  "The  Sabbath,  therefore,  lies  at  the  very 
foundation  of  divine  worship ;  for  it  teaches  this  great  truth 
in   the   most  impressive   manner,   and   no   other   institution 

*Ps.  96:5.  *Isa.  40:25,26;   45:18.  « Ps.  100:3;   95:6. 

«  Rev.  4:11.         •  Ex.  20:10, 11.         "Eze.  20:20.         'Ex.  31:17. 


438  1HE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

does  this.  The  true  ground  of  divine  worship,  not  of  that  m 
the  seventh  day  merely,  but  of  all  worship,  is  found  in  the 
distinction  between  the  Creator  and  His  creatures.  This 
great  fact  can  never  become  obsolete,  and  must  never  be 
forgotten. "  *  It  was  to  keep  this  truth  ever  before  the  minds 
of  men,  that  God  instituted  the  Sabbath  in  Eden;  and  so 
long  as  the  fact  that  He  is  our  Creator  continues  to  be  a 
reason  why  we  should  worship  Him,  so  long  the  Sabbath  will 
continue  as  its  sign  and  memorial.  Had  the  Sabbath  been 
universally  kept,  man's  thoughts  and  affections  would  have 
been  led  to  the  Creator  as  the  object  of  reverence  and  wor- 
ship, and  there  would  never  have  been  an  idolater,  an 
atheist,  or  an  infidel.  The  keeping  of  the  Sabbath  is  a  sign 
of  loyalty  to  the  true  Ood.  "Him  that  made  heaven,  and 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters."  It  follows 
that  the  message  which  conmiands  men  to  worship  God 
and  keep  His  commandments,  will  especially  call  upon 
them  to  keep   the   fourth  commandment. 

In  contrast  to  those  who  keep  the  commandments  of 
God  and  have  the  faith  of  Jesus,  tlie  third  angel  points 
to  another  class,  against  whose  errors  a  solemn  and  fear- 
ful warning  is  uttered:  "If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and 
his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his 
hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
God."*  A  correct  interpretation  of  the  symbols  employed 
is  necessary  to  an  understanding  of  this  message.  What  is 
represented  by  the  beast,  the  image,  the  mark? 

The  line  of  prophecy  in  which  these  symbols  are  found, 
begins  Avith  Revelation  12,  with  the  dragon  that  sought  to  de- 
stroy Christ  at  His  birth.  The  dragon  is  said  to  ])e  Satan ;'  he 
it  was  that  moved  upon  Herod  to  put  the  Saviour  to  death. 
But  the  chief  agent  of  Satan  in  making  war  upon  Christ  and 
His  people  during  the  first  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  was 
the  Roman  empire,  in  which  paganism  was  the  prevailing 
religion.  Thus  while  the  dragon,  primarily,  represents  Satan, 
it  is,  in  a  secondary  sense,  a  symbol  of  pagan  Rome. 

» Andrews,  J.  N.,  "History  of  the  Sabbath,"  ch.  27. 
^'Eev.  14:9,10.  'Rev.  12:9. 


G07)'.9  LAW  IMMUTABLE  439 

In  chapter  13'  is  described  another  beast,  "like  unto  a 
leopard,"  to  which  the  dragon  gave  "his  power,  and  his 
seat,  and  great  authority."  This  symbol,  as  most  Protes- 
tants have  believed,  represents  the  papacy,  which  succeeded 
to  the  power  and  seat  and  authority  onco  held  by  the 
ancient  Roman  empire.  Of  the  leopard-like  beast  it  is 
declared:  "There  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things  and  blasphemies.  .  .  And  he  opened  his  mouth 
in  blasphemy  against  God,  to  blaspheme  His  name,  and  His 
tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven.  And  it  was 
given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  over- 
come them:  and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds, 
and  tongues,  and  nations."  This  prophecy,  Avliich  is  nearly 
identical  with  the  description  of  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  7, 
unquestionably  points  to  the  papacy. 

"Power  was  given  unto  hi7u  to  continue  forty  and  two 
months."  And,  says  the  prophet,  "I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as 
it  were  wounded  to  death."  And  again,  "He  that  leadeth 
into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity :  he  that  killeth  with 
the  sword  must  be  killed  witli  the  sword."  The  forty  and 
U\o  months  are  the  same  as  the  "time  and  times  and  the 
dividing  of  time,"  three  years  and  a  half,  or  1260  days,  of 
Uaniel  7, —  the  time  during  which  the  papal  power  wa.s  to 
oppress  God's  people.  This  period,  as  stated  in  preceding 
chapters,  began  with  the  supremacy  of  the  papacy,  a.  d. 
538,  and  terminated  in  1798.  At  that  time,  the  pope  was 
made  captive  by  the  French  army,  the  papal  power  re- 
ceived its  deadly  wound,  and  the  prediction  was  fulfilled, 
"He   that  leadeth   into   captivity  shall   go   into   captivity." 

At  this  point  anotlier  sjnubol  is  introduced.  Says  the 
prophet,  "I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the 
earth ;  and  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb. ' ' '  Both  the  ap- 
pearance of  this  beast  and  the  manner  of  its  rise  indicate 
that  the  nation  which  it  represents  is  unlike  those  presented 
under  the  preceding  symbols.  The  great  kingdoms  that 
have  ruled"  the  world  were  presented  to  the  prophet  Daniel 
*  Verses  1-10.  ='Rev.  13:11. 


440  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

as  beasts  of  prey,  rising  when  the  ' '  four  winds  of  th^ 
heaven  strove  upon  the  great  sea. " '  -  In  Revelation  17, 
an  angel  explained  that  waters  represent  "peoples,  and 
multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues. ' '  ^  Winds  are  a  sym- 
bol of  strife.  The  four  winds  of  heayen  striving  upon  the 
great  sea,  represent  the  terrible  scenes  of  conquest  and 
revolution  by  which  kingdoms  have  attained  to  power. 

But  the  beast  with  lamb-like  horns  was  seen  "coming  up 
out  of  the  earth."  Instead  of  overthrowing  other  powers  to 
establish  itself,  the  nation  thus  represented  must  arise  in 
territory  previously  unoccupied,  and  grow  up  gradually  and 
peacefully.  It  could  not,  then,  arise  among  the  crowded 
and  struggling  nationalities  of  the  Old  World, —  that  turbu- 
lent sea  of  "peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and 
tongues."    It  must  be  sought  in  the  Western  Continent. 

What  nation  of  the  Noav  World  was  in  1798  rising  into 
power,  giving  promise  of  strength  and  greatness,  and  attract- 
ing the  attention  of  the  world?  The  application  of  the 
symbol  admits  of  no  question.  One  nation,  and  only  one, 
meets  the  spei-iiications  of  this  prophecy;  it  points  unmis- 
takably to  the  United  States  of  America,  Again  and  again 
the  thought,  almost  the  exact  words,  of  the  sacred  writer 
have  been  unconsciously  employed  by  the  orator  and  the 
historian  in  describing  the  rise  and  growth  of  this  nation. 
The  beast  was  seen  "coming"  up  out  of  the  earth;"  and 
according  to  the  translators,  the  word  here  rendered  "com- 
ing up"  literally  signifies  "to  grow  or  spring  up  as  a 
plant."  And,  as  we  have  seen,  the  nation  must  arise  in 
territory  previously  unoccupied.  A  prominent  writer,  de- 
scribing the  rise  of  the  United  States,  speaks  of  "the  mystery 
of  her  coining  forth  from  vacancy," ^  and  says,  "Like  a  silent 
seed  we  greAV  into  empire."  A  European  journal  in  1850 
spoke  of  the  United  States  as  a  wonderful  empire,  which  was 
"emerging,"  and  "amid  the  silence  of  the  earth  daily  adding 
to  its  power  and  pride."*     Edward  Everett,  in  an  oration 

*  Dan.  7:2.  *  Rev.  17:15.  *  Townsend,  G.  A.,  "The  New 

World  Compared  with  the  Old,"  p.  463  (ed.  1869)=, 
*  The  Duilin  Nation. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  441 

on  the  Pilgrim  founders  of  this  nation,  said:  "Did  they 
look  for  a  retired  spot,  inoffensive  for  its  obscurity,  and 
safe  in  its  remoteness,  where  the  little  church  of  Leyden 
might  enjoy  the  freedom  of  conscience?  Behold  the  mighty 
regions  over  which,  in  peaceful  conquest,  .  .  .  they  have 
borne  the  banners  of  the  cross ! "  * 

"And  he  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb."  The  lamb-like 
horns  indicate  youth,  innocence,  and  gentleness,  fitly  repre- 
senting the  character  of  the  United  States  when  presented 
to  the  prophet  as  "coming  up"  in  1798.  Among  the  Chris- 
tian exiles  who  first  fled  to  America,  and  sought  an  asylum 
from  royal  oppression  and  priestly  intolerance,  were  many 
who  determined  to  establish  a  government  upon  the  broad 
foundation  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Their  views 
found  place  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  which  sets 
forth  the  great  truth  that  "all  men  are  created  equal,"  and 
endowed  with  the  inalienable  right  to  "life,  liberty,  and  the 
pursuit  of  happiness."  And  tlie  Constitution  guarantees  to 
the  people  tiie  right  of  sell-government,  providing  that 
representatives  elected  by  the  popular  vote  shall  enact  and 
administer  the  laws.  Freedom  of  religious  faith  was  also 
granted,  every  man  being  permitted  to  worship  God  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience.  Republicanism 
and  Protestantism  became  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  nation.  These  principles  are  the  secret  of  its  power 
and  prosperity.  The  oppressed  and  down-trodden  through- 
out Christendom  have  turned  to  this  land  with  interest  and 
hope.  Millions  have  sought  its  shores,  and  the  United 
States  has  risen  to  a  place  among  the  most  powerful  na- 
tions of   the   earth. 

But  the  beast  with  lamb-like  horns  "spake  as  a  dragon. 
And  ne  exercisetii  a/l  the  ])owt'r  of  the  first  beast  before 
him,  and  eauscth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  therein  to 
worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed; 
and  .  .  .  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they 
•  Speech  delivered  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,    Dee.  22,  1824,  p.  11. 


442  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

should  make  an  image  to  the  beast,  which  had  the  wound 
by  a  sword  and  did  live. ' '  * 

The  lamb-like  horns  and  dragon  voice  of  the  symbol 
point  to  a  striking  contradiction  between  the  professions  and 
the  practice  of  the  nation  thus  represented.  The  "speaking" 
of  the  nation  is  the  action  of  its  legislative  and  judicial 
authorities.  By  such  action  it  will  give  the  lie  to  those  lib- 
eral and  peaceful  principles  which  it  has  put  forth  as  the 
foundation  of  its  policy.  The  prediction  that  it  will  speak 
"as  a  dragon,"  and  exercise  "all  the  power  of  the  first 
beast,"  plainly  foretells  a  development  of  the  spirit  of  in- 
tolerance and  persecution  that  was  manifested  by  the  na- 
tions represented  by  the  dragon  and  the  leopard-like  beast. 
And  the  statement  that  the  beast  with  two  horns  "causeth 
the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  therein  to  worship  the  first 
beast,"  indicates  that  the  authority  of  this  nation  is  to  be 
exercised  in  enforcing  some  observance  which  shall  be  an 
act  of  homage  to  the  papacy. 

Such  action  would  be  directly  contrary  to  the  principles 
of  this  government,  to  the  genius  of  its  free  institutions,  to 
the  direct  and  solemn  avowals  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, and  to  the  Constitution.  The  founders  of  the 
nation  wisely  sought  to  guard  against  the  employment  of 
secular  power  on  the  part  of  the  church,  with  its  inevitable 
result  —  intolerance  and  persecution.  The  Constitution  pro- 
vides that  "Congress  shall  make  no  law  respecting  an  estab- 
lishment of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise  thereof, ' ' 
and  that  "no  religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a  quali- 
fication to  any  office  of  public  trust  under  the  United 
States."  Only  in  flagrant  violation  of  these  safeguards  to 
the  nation's  liberty,  can  any  religious  observance  be  en- 
forced by  civil  authority.  But  the  inconsistency  of  such 
action  is  no  greater  than  is  represented  in  the  symbol. 
It  is  the  beast  with  lamb-like  horns  —  in  profession  pure> 
gentle,  and  harmless  —  that  speaks  as  a  dragon. 
'Rev.  13:11-14. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMVTABLE  443 

"Saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they 
should  make  an  image  to  the  beast."  Hero  is  clearly  pre- 
sented a  form  of  government  in  which  the  legislative  power 
rests  with  the  people;  a  most  striking  evidence  that  the 
United  States  is  the  nation  denoted  in  the  prophecy. 

But  what  is  the  "image  to  the  beast"?  and  how  is  it 
to  be  formed?  The  image  is  made  by  the  two-horned  beast, 
and  is  an  image  to  the  first  beast.  It  is  also  called  an  image 
of  the  beast.  Then  to  learn  what  the  image  is  like,  and 
how  it  is  to  be  formed,  we  must  study  the  characteristics  of 
the  beast  itself, —  the  papacy. 

When  the  early  church  became  corrupted  by  departing 
from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel  and  accepting  heathen 
rites  and  customs,  she  lost  the  Spirit  and  power  of  God ;  and 
in  order  to  control  the  consciences  of  the  people,  she  sought 
the  support  of  the  secular  power.  The  result  was  the  papacy, 
a  church  that  controlled  the  power  of  the  state,  and  employed 
it  to  further  her  own  ends,  especially  for  the  punishment  of 
"heresy."  In  order  for  the  United  States  to  form  an  image 
of  the  beast,  the  religious  power  must  so  control  the  civil 
government  that  the  authority  of  the  state  will  also  be 
employed  by  the  church  to  accomplish  her  own  ends. 

Whenever  the  church  has  obt.iined  secular  power,  she  has 
employed  it  to  punish  dissent  from  her  doctrines.  Prot- 
estant churches  that  have  followed  in  the  steps  of  Rome  by 
forming  alliance  with  worldly  powers,  have  manifested  a 
similar  desire  to  restrict  liberty  of  conscience.  An  example 
of  this  is  given  in  the  long-continued  persecution  of  dis- 
senters by  the  Church  of  England.  During  the  sixteenth 
and  seventeenth  centuries,  thousands  of  non-conformist  min- 
isters were  forced  to  leave  their  churches,  and  many,  both 
of  pastors  and  people,  were  subjected  to  fine,  imprisonment, 
torture,  and  martyrdom. 

It  was  apostasy  that  led  the  early  church  to  seek  the  aid 
of  the  civil  government,  and  this  prepared  the  way  for  the 
development  of  the  papacy, —  the  beast.  Said  Paul,  "There" 
shall  "come  a  falling  away,  .  .  o  and  that  man  of  sin  be 


444  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

revealed. "  *  So  apostasy  in  the  church  will  prepare  the  way 
for  the  image  to  the  beast. 

The  Bible  declares  that  before  the  coining  of  the  Lord 
there  will  exist  a  state  of  religious  declension  similar  to 
that  in  the  first  centuries.  "In  the  last  days  perilous  times 
shall  come.  For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  tlicir  own  selves, 
covetous,  boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  par- 
ents, unthankful,  unholy,  without  natural  affection,  truce- 
breakers,  false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  despisers  of 
those  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  high-minded,  lovers 
of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God;  having  a  form  of 
godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof."'  "Now  the 
Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter  times  some 
shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits, 
and  doctrines  of  devils."'  Satan  will  work  "with  all 
power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  deceiv- 
ableness  of  unrighteousness."  And  all  that  "received  not 
the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,"  will  be  left 
to  accept  "strong  delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie."* 
When  this  state  of  ungodliness  shall  be  reached,  the  same 
results  will  follow  as  in  the  first  centuries. 

The  wide  diversity  of  belief  in  the  Protestant  churches  is 
regarded  by  many  as  decisive  proof  that  no  effort  to  secure 
a  forced  uniformity  can  ever  be  made.  But  there  has  been 
for  years,  in  churches  of  the  Protestant  faith,  a  strong  and 
growing  sentiment  in  favor  of  a  union  based  upon  common 
points  of  doctrine.  To  secure  such  a  union,  the  discussion 
of  subjects  upon  which  all  were  not  agreed  —  however  im- 
portant they  might  be  from  a  Bible  standpoint  —  must 
necessarily  be  waived. 

Charles  Beecher,  in  a  sermon  in  the  year  1846,  declared 
that  the  ministry  of  "the  evangelical  Protestant  denomina- 
tions" is  "not  only  formed  all  the  way  up  under  a  tremen- 
dous pressure  of  merely  human  fear,  but  they  live,  and 
move,  and  breathe  in  a  state  of  things  radically  corrupt,  and 
appealing  every  hour  to  every  baser  element  of  their  nature 
*2  Thess.  2:3.      «  2  Tim.  3 : 1-5.      "1  Tim.  4:1.      «  2  Thess.  2:9-11. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  445 

io  hush  up  the  truth,  and  bow  the  knee  to  the  power  of 
apostasy.  Was  not  this  the  way  things  went  with  Rome? 
Are  we  not  living  her  life  over  again  ?  And  what  do  we  see 
just  ahead?  Another  general  council!  A  world's  conven- 
tion !  Evangelical  alliance,  and  universal  creed ! "  '  When 
this  shall  be  gained,  then,  in  the  effort  to  secure  complete 
uniformity,  it  will  be  only  a  step  to  the  resort  to  force. 

When  the  leading  churches  of  the  United  States,  uniting 
upon  such  points  of  doctrine  as  are  held  by  them  in  com- 
mon, shall  influence  the  state  to  enforce  their  decrees,  and  to 
sustain  their  institutions,  then  Protestant  America  will  have 
formed  an  image  of  the  Roman  hierarchy,  and  the  inflic- 
tion of  civil  penalties  upon  dissenters  will  inevitably  result. 

The  beast  with  two  horns  "causeth  [commands]  all,  both 
small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a 
mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads:  and  that 
no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or 
the  name  of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  his  name. ' ' '  The 
third  angel's  warning  is,  "If  any  man  worship  the  beast 
and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in 
his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
God."  "The  beast"  mentioned  in  this  message,  whose  wor- 
ship is  enforced  by  the  two-horned  beast,  is  the  first,  or 
leopard-like  beast  of  Revelation  13,—  the  papacy.  The 
"image  to  the  beast"  represents  that  form  of  apostate  Prot- 
estantism which  will  be  developed  when  the  Protestant 
churches  shall  seek  the  aid  of  the  civil  power  for  the 
enforcement  of  their  dogmas.  The  "mark  of  the  beast"  still 
remains  to  be  defined. 

After  the  warning  against  the  worship  of  the  beast  and 
his  image,  the  prophecy  declares,  "Here  are  they  that  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus."  Since 
those  who  keep  God's  commandments  are  thus  placed  in 
contrast  with  those  that  worship  the  beast  and  his  image 
and  receive  his  mark,  it  follows  that  the  keeping  of  God's 

*Sennoii  on  "Thp  Bible  a  Sufficient  Creofl,"  delivered  at 

Fort   Wayne,    Ind.,   Feb.   22,   1848. 

*Eev.    13:16,17. 


446  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

law,  on  the  one  hand,  and  its  violation,  on  the  other,  will 
make  the  distinction  between  the  worshipers  of  God  and 
the  worshipers  of  the  beast. 

The  special  characteristic  of  the  beast,  and  therefore  of 
his  image,  is  the  breaking  of  God's  commandments.  Says 
Daniel,  of  the  little  horn,  the  papacy,  "He  shall  think  to 
change  the  times  and  the  law. ' '  *  And  Paul  styled  the  same 
power  the  "man  of  sin,"  who  was  to  exalt  himself  above 
God.  One  prophecy  is  a  complement  of  the  other.  Only 
by  changing  God's  law  could  the  papacy  exalt  itself  above 
God;  Avhoever  should  understandingly  keep  the  law  as  thus 
changed  would  be  giving  supreme  honor  to  that  power  by 
which  the  change  was  made.  Such  an  act  of  obedience  to 
papal  laws  would  be  a  mark  of  allegiance  to  the  pope  in  the 
place  of  God. 

The  papacy  has  attempted  to  change  the  law  of  God. 
The  second  commandment,  forbidding  image  worship,  has 
been  dropped  from  the  law,  and  the  fourth  commandment 
has  been  so  changed  as  to  authorize  the  observance  of  the 
first  instead  of  the  seventh  day  as  the  Sabbath.  But  papists 
urge,  as  a  reason  for  omitting  the  second  commandment, 
that  it  is  unnecessary,  being  included  in  the  first,  and  that 
they  are  giving  the  law  exactly  as  God  designed  it  to  be 
understood.  This  cannot  be  the  change  foretold  by  the 
prophet.  An  intentional,  deliberate  change  is  presented:  "He 
shall  think  to  change  the  times  and  the  law."  The  change  in 
the  fourth  commandment  exactly  fulfils  the  prophecy.  For 
this  the  only  authority  claimed  is  that  of  the  church.  Here 
the  papal  power  openly  sets  itself  above  God. 

While  the  worshipers  of  God  will  be  especially  distin- 
guished by  their  regard  for  the  fourth  commandment, — 
since  this  is  the  sign  of  His  creative  power,  and  the  witness 
to  His  claim  upon  man's  reverence  and  homage, —  the  wor- 
shipers of  the  beast  will  be  distinguished  by  their  efforts  to 
tear  do\ATi  the  Creator's  memorial,  to  exalt  the  institution 
of  Rome.  It  was  in  behalf  of  the  Sunday  that  popery  first 
»Dan.  7:25,  E.  V. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  447 

asserted  its  arrogant  claims;'  and  its  first  resort  to  the 
power  of  the  state  was  to  compel  the  observance  of  Sunday 
as  "the  Lord's  day."  But  the  Bible  points  to  the  seventh 
day,  and  not  to  the  first,  as  the  Lord's  day.  Said  Christ, 
"The  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  Sabbath."  The  fourth 
commandment  declares,  "The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath 
of  the  Lord."  And  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  the  Lord  desig- 
nates it,   "My  holy  day."' 

The  claim  so  often  put  forth,  that  Christ  changed  the 
Sabbath,  is  disproved  by  His  own  words.  In  His  sermon  on 
the  mount  He  said:  "Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy 
the  law,  or  the  prophets:  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but 
to  fulfil.  For  verily  I  say  unto  you.  Till  heaven  and  earth 
pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  jjass  from  the 
law,  fill  all  be  fulfilled.  Whosoever  therefore  shall  break 
one  of  these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men  so, 
he  shall  be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven :  but 
whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  them,  the  same  shall  be  called 
great  in   the  kingdom  of  heaven. ' " 

It  is  a  fact  generally  admitted  by  Protestants,  that  the 
Scriptures  give  no  authority  for  the  change  of  the  Sab- 
bath. This  is  plainly  stated  in  publications  issued  by  the 
American  Tract  Society  and  the  American  Sunday-school 
Union.  One  of  these  works  acknowledges  "the  complete 
silence  of  the  New  Testament  so  far  as  any  explicit  com- 
mand for  the  Sabbath  [Sunday,  the  first  day  of  the  week] 
or  definite  rules  for  its  observance  are  concerned. ' '  * 

Another  says:  "Up  to  the  time  of  Christ's  death,  no 
change  had  been  made  in  the  day ; " "  and,  ' '  so  far  as  the  rec- 
ord shows,  they  [the  apostles]  did  not  .  .  .  give  any  explicit 
command  enjoining  the  abandonment  of  the  seventh-day 
Sabbath,  and  its  observance  on  the  first  day  of  the  week."" 

Roman  Catholics  acknowledge  that'  the  change  of  the 
Sabbath  was  made  by  their  church,  and  declare  that  Prot- 

»See  Appendix.        "Mark  2:28;  Isa.  58:13.         'Matt.  5:17-19. 
•Elliott,  George,  "The  Abiding  Sabbath,"  p.   184. 
•Waffle,  A.  E.,  "The  Lord's  Day,"  p.   18G. 
•  Idem,  pp.  187,  188. 


448  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

estants,  by  observing  the  Sunday,  are  recognizing  her  power. 
In  the  "Catholic  Catechism  of  Christian  Religion,"  in 
answer  to  a  question  as  to  the  day  to  be  observed  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  fourth  commandment,  this  statement  is  made: 
"During  the  old  law,  Saturday  was  the  day  sanctified;  but 
the  church,  instructed  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  directed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  has  substituted  Sunday  for  Saturday;  so  now 
we  sanctify  the  first,  not  the  seventh  day.  Sunday  means, 
and  now  is,  the  day  of  the  Lord." 

As  the  sign  of  the  authority  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
papist  writers  cite  "the  very  act  of  changing  the  Sabbath 
into  Sunday,  which  Protestants  allow  of;  ,  .  .  because  by 
keeping  Sunday,  they  acknowledge  the  church's  power  to 
ordain  feasts,  and  to  command  them  under  sin. ' ' '  What 
then  is  the  change  of  the  Sabbath,  but  the  sign,  or 'mark, 
of  the  authority  of  the  Roman  Church — "the  mark  of  the 
beast"? 

The  Roman  Church  has  not  relinquished  her  claim  to 
supremacy;  and  when  tlie  world  and  the  Protestant  churches 
accept  a  sabbath  of  her  creating,  while  they  reject  the  Bible 
Sabbath,  they  virtually  admit  this  assumption.  They  may 
claim  the  authority  of  tradition  and  of  the  Fathers  for  the 
change;  but  in  so  doing  they  ignore  the  very  principle 
which  separates  them  from  Rome, —  that  "the  Bible,  and  the 
Bible  only,  is  the  religion  of  Protestants."  The  papist  can 
see  that  they  are  deceiving  themselves,  willingly  closing 
their  eyes  to  the  facts  in  the  case.  As  the  movement  for 
Sunday  enforcement  gains  favor,  he  rejoices,  feeling  assured 
that  it  will  eventually  bring  the  whole  Protestant  world 
under  the  banner  of  Rome. 

Romanists  declare  that  "the  observance  of  Sunday  by  the 
Protestants  is  an  homage  they  pay,  in  spite  of  themselves,  to 
the  authority  of  the  [Catholic]  Church."*  The  enforcement 
of  Sunday-keeping  on  the  part  of  Protestant  churches  is  an 
enforcement  of  the  worship  of  the  papacy  —  of  the  beast. 
Those   who,   understanding   the   claims   of  the   fourth   com- 

*  Tuberville,   H.,  ' '  An  Abridgement   of  the  Christian  Doctrine, ' '  p.   58. 
'"Plain   Talk  about   Protestantism,"   p.   213. 


GOD'S  LAW  IMMUTABLE  449 

mandment,  choose  to  observe  the  false  instead  of  the  true 
Sabbath,  are  thereby  paying  homage  to  that  power  by  which 
alone  it  is  commanded.  But  in  the  very  act  of  enforcing 
a  religious  duty  by  secular  power,  the  churches  would  them- 
selves form  an  image  to  the  beast;  hence  the  enforcement  of 
Sunday-keeping  in  the  United  States  would  be  an  enforce- 
ment of  the  worship  of  the  beast  and  his  image. 

But  Christians  of  past  generations  observed  the  Sunday, 
supposing  that  in  so  doing  they  were  keeping  the  Bible  Sab- 
bath; and  there  are  now  true  Christians  in  every  church, 
not  excepting  the  Roman  Catholic  communion,  who  honestly 
believe  that  Sunday  is  the  Sabbath  of  divine  appointment. 
God  accepts  their  sincerity  of  purpose  and  their  integrity 
before  Him.  But  when  Sunday  observance  shall  be  enforced 
by  law,  and  the  world  shall  be  enlightened  concerning  the 
obligation  of  the  true  Sabbath,  then  whoever  shall  transgress 
the  command  of  God,  to  obey  a  precept  which  has  no  higher 
authority  than  that  of  Rome,  will  thereby  honor  popery 
above  God.  He  is  paying  homage  to  Rome,  and  to  the 
power  which  enforces  the  institution  ordained  by  Rome. 
He  is  worshiping  the  beast  and  his  image.  As  men  then 
reject  the  institution  w^hich  God  has  declared  to  be  the  sign 
of  His  authority,  and  honor  in  its  stead  that  which  Rome 
has  chosen  as  the  token  of  her  supremacy,  they  will  thereby 
accept  the  sign  of  allegiance  to  Rome — "the  mark  of  the 
beast."  And  it  is  not  until  the  issue  is  thus  plainly  set 
before  the  people,  and  they  are  brought  to  choose  between 
the  commandments  of  God  and  the  commandments  of  men, 
that  those  who  continue  in  transgression  will  receive  "the 
mark  of  the  beast." 

The  most  fearful  threatening  ever  addressed  to  mortals 
is  contained  in  the  third  angel's  message.  That  must  be  a 
terrible  sin  which  calls  down  the  wrath  of  God  unmingled 
with  mercy.  Men  are  not  to  be  left  in  darkness  concerning 
this  important  matter;  the  warning  against  this  sin  is  to  be 
given  to  the  world  before  the  visitation  of  God's  judgments, 
that  all  may  know  why  they  are  to  be  inflicted,  and  have 

1»— Q.C. 


450  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

opportunity  to  escape  them.  Prophecy  declares  that  the 
first  angel  would  make  his  announcement  to  "every  nation, 
and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  The  warning  of  the 
third  angel,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  same  threefold  mes- 
sage, is  to  be  no  less  wide-spread.  It  is  represented  in  the 
prophecy  as  being  proclaimed  with  a  loud  voice,  by  an  angel 
flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven;  and  it  will  command  the 
attention   of  the  world. 

In  the  issue  of  the  contest,  all  Christendom  will  be  di- 
vided into  two  great  classes, —  those  who  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus,  and  those  who 
worship  the  beast  and  his  image  and  receive  his  mark.  Al- 
though church  and  state  will  unite  their  power  to  compel 
"all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond," 
to  receive  ' '  the  mark  of  the  beast, ' ' '  yet  the  people  of  God 
will  not  receive  it.  The  prophet  of  Patmos  beholds  "them 
that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his 
image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name, 
stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God,"  and 
singing  the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb." 

'Rev.  13:16.  *Rcv.  15:2,3. 


A  WORK  OF  REFORM -26 

The  work  of  Sabbath  reform  to  be  accomplished  in  the 
last  days  is  foretold  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah :  '  *  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  Keep  ye  judgment,  and  do  justice :  for  JNIy  sal- 
vation is  near  to  come,  and  ]\Iy  righteousness  to  be  revealed. 
Blessed  is  the  man  that  doeth  this,  and  the  son  of  man  that 
layeth  hold  on  it;  that  keepeth  the  Sabbath  from  polluting 
it,  and  keepeth  his  hand  from  doing  any  evil."  "The  sons 
of  the  stranger,  that  join  themselves  to  the  Lord,  to  serve 
Him,  and  to  love  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  be  His  servants, 
every  one  that  keepeth  the  Sabbath  from  polluting  it,  and 
taketli  hold  of  My  covenant;  even  them  will  I  bring  to  ]\Iy 
holy  mountain,  and  make  them  joyful  in  My  house  of 
prayer. "  * 

These  words  apply  in  the  Christian  age,  as  shown  by 
the  context:  "The  Lord  God  which  gathereth  the  outcasts 
of  Israel  saith,  Yet  will  I  gather  others  to  him,  beside  those 
that  are  gathered  unto  him."^  Here  is  foreshadowed  the 
gathering  in  of  the  Gentiles  by  the  gospel.  And  upon  tliose 
who  then  honor  the  Sabbath,  a  blessing  is  pronounced. 
Thus  the  obligation  of  the  fourth  conmiandment  extends 
past  the  crucifixion,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of  Christ, 
to  the  time  when  His  servants  should  preach  to  all  nations 
the  message  of  glad  tidings. 


'Isa.  56:1,2,6,7, 


'Isa.  56:8. 
(451) 


452  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  Lord  commands  by  the  same  prophet,  "Bind  up  the 
testimony,  seal  the  law  among  My  disciples."^  The  seal  of 
God's  law  is  found  in  the  fourth  commandment.  This  only, 
of  all  the  ten,  brings  to  view  both  the  name  and  the  title  of 
the  Lawgiver.  It  declares  Him  to  be  the  Creator  of  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  thus  shows  His  claim  to  rev- 
erence and  worship  above  all  others.  Aside  from  this  pre- 
cept, there  is  nothing  in  the  decalogue  to  show  by  whose 
authority  the  law  is  given.  "When  the  Sal)bath  was  changed 
by  the  papal  power,  the  seal  was  taken  from  the  law.  The 
disciples  of  Jesus  are  called  upon  to  restore  it,  by  exalting 
the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment  to  its  rightful 
position  as  the  Creator's  memorial  and  the  sign  of  His 
authority. 

"To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony."  While  conflicting 
doctrines  and  theories  abound,  the  law  of  God  is  the  one 
unerring  rule  by  M-hich  ail  opinions,  doctrines,  and  theories 
are  to  be  tested.  Says  the  prophet,  "If  they  speak  not 
according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in 
them.'" 

Again,  the  command  is  given,  "Cry  aloud,  spare  not,  lift 
up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  show  My  people  their 
transgression,  and  the  house  of  Jacob  their  sins."  It  is  not 
the  wicked  world,  but  those  whom  the  Lord  designates  as 
"My  people,"  that  are  to  be  reproved  for  their  transgres- 
sions. He  declares  further,  "Yet  they  seek  Me  daily,  and 
delight  to  know  My  ways,  as  a  nation  that  did  righteousness, 
and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  their  God. ' ' "  Here  is 
brought  to  view  a  class  who  think  themselves  righteous,  and 
appear  to  manifest  great  interest  in  the  service  of  God;  but 
the  stern  and  solemn  rebuke  of  the  Searcher  of  hearts 
proves  them  to  be  trampling  upon  the  divine  precepts. 

The  prophet  thus  points  out  the  ordinance  which  has 
been  forsaken:  "Thou  shalt  raise  up  the  foundations  of 
many  generations;  and  thou  shalt  be  called,   The  repairer 

»l8a.  8:16,20.  '  Isa.  58:1,2. 


A    WORK  OF  REFORM  453 

of  the  breach,  The  restorer  of  paths  to  dwell  in.  If  thou 
turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  Sabbath,  from  doing  thy 
pleasure  on  My  holy  day;  and  call  the  Sabbath  a  delight, 
the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable;  and  shalt  honor  Him,  not 
doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor 
speaking  thine  own  words:  then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself 
in  the  Lord*"*  This  prophecy  also  applies  in  our  time. 
The  breach  was  made  in  the  law  of  God  when  the  Sabbath 
was  changed  by  the  Roman  power.  But  the  time  has  come 
for  that  divine  institution  to  be  restored.  The  breach  is  to 
be  repaired,  anjd  the  foundation  of  many  generations  to  be 
raised  up. 

Hallowed  by  the  Creator's  rest  and  blessing,  the  Sabbath 
was  kept  by  Adam  in  his  innocence  in  holy  Eden ;  by  Adam, 
fallen  yet  repentant,  when  he  was  driven  from  his  happy 
estate.  It  was  kept  by  all  the  patriarchs,  from  Abel  to 
righteous  Noah,  to  Abraham,  to  Jacob.  When  the  chosen 
people  were  in  bondage  in  Egypt,  many,  in  the  midst  of 
prevailing  idolatry,  lost  their  knowledge  of  God's  law;  but 
when  the  Lord  delivered  Israel,  He  proclaimed  His  law  in 
awful  grandeur  to  the  assembled  multitude,  that  they  might 
know  His  will,  and  fear  and  obey  Him  forever. 

From  that  day  to  the  present,  the  knowledge  of  God's  law 
has  been  preserved  in  the  earth,  and  the  Sabbath  of  the 
fourth  commandment  has  been  kept.  Though  the  "man  of 
sin"  succeeded  in  trampling  under  foot  God's  holy  day,  yet 
even  in  the  period  of  his  supremacy  there  were,  hidden  in 
secret  places,  faithful  souls  who  paid  it  honor.  Since  the 
Reformation,  there  have  been  some  in  every  generation  to 
maintain  its  observan(;e.  Though  often  in  the  midst  of  re- 
proach and  persecution,  a  constant  testimony  has  been  borne 
to  the  perpetuity  of  the  law  of  God,  and  the  sacred  obli- 
gation of  the  creation   Sabbath. 

These  truths,  as  presented  in  Revelation  14  in  connection 
with  the  "everlasting  gospel,"  will  distinguish  the  church 
of  Christ  at  the  time  of  His  appearing.    For  as  the  result  of 
»l8a.  58:12,13. 


454  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  threefold  message  it  is  announced,  "Here  are  they  that 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 
And  this  message  is  the  last  to  be  given  before  the  coming 
of  the  Lord.  Immediately  following  its  proclamation,  the 
Son  of  man  is  seen  by  the  prophet,  coming  in  glory  to  reap 
the  harvest  of  the  earth. 

Those  who  received  the  light  concerning  the  sanctuary 
and  the  immutability  of  the  law  of  God,  were  filled  with  joy 
and  wonder,  as  they  saw  the  beauty  and  harmony  of  the 
system  of  truth  that  opened  to  their  understanding.  They 
desired  that  the  light  which  appeared  to  them  so  precious 
might  be  imparted  to  all  Christians;  and  they  could  not  but 
believe  that  it  would  be  joyfully  accepted.  But  truths  that 
would  place  them  at  variance  with  the  world  were  not  wel- 
come to  many  wlio  claimed  to  be  followers  of  Christ.  Obe- 
dience to  the  fourth  commandment  required  a  sacrifice  from 
which  the  majority  drew  back„ 

As  the  claims  of  the  Sabbatli  were  presented,  many  rea- 
soned from  the  worldling's  5'andpoint.  Said  they:  "We 
have  always  kept  Sunday,  our  fathers  kept  it,  and  many 
good  and  pious  men  have  died  happy  while  keeping  it. 
If  they  were  right,  so  are  we.  The  keeping  of  this  nevf 
Sabbath  would  throw  us  out  of  harmony  with  the  world, 
and  we  would  have  no  influence  over  them.  What  can  a 
little  company  keeping  the  seventh  day  hope  to  accomplish 
against  all  the  world  who  are  keeping  Sunday?"  It  was  by 
similar  arguments  that  the  Jews  endeavored  to  justify  their 
rejection  of  Christ.  Their  fathers  had  been  accepted  of  God 
in  presenting  the  sacrificial  offerings,  and  w^hy  could  not  the 
children  find  salvation  in  pursuing  the  same  course?  So,  in 
the  time  of  Luther,  papists  reasoned  that  true  Christians  had 
died  in  the  Catholic  faith,  and  therefore  that  religion  was 
sufficient  for  salvation.  Such  reasoning  would  prove  an 
effectual  barrier  to  all  advancement  in  religious  faith  or 
practice. 

Many  urged  that  Sunday-keeping  had  been  an  established 
doctrine  and  a  wide-spread  custom  of  the  church  for  many 


A    WORK  OF  REFORM  455 

centuries.  Against  this  argument  it  was  shown  that  the 
Sabbath  and  its  observance  were  more  ancient  and  wide- 
spread, even  as  old  as  the  world  itself,  and  bearing  the  sanc- 
tion both  of  angels  and  of  God.  When  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  were  laid,  when  the  morning  stars  sang  together, 
and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy,  then  was  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  Sabbath.'  Well  may  this  institution  de- 
mand our  reverence .-  it  was  ordained  by  no  human  author- 
ity, and  rests  upon  no  luiman  traditions;  it  was  established 
by  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  commanded  by  His  eternal  word. 

As  the  attention  of  the  people  was  called  to  the  subject  of 
Sabbath  reform,  popular  ministers  perverted  the  word  of 
God,  placing  such  interpretations  upon  its  testimony  as 
would  best  quiet  inquiring  minds.  And  those  who  did  not 
search  the  Scriptures  for  themselves  were  content  to  accept 
conclusions  that  were  in  accordance  with  their  desires.  By 
argument,  sophistry,  the  traditions  of  the  Fathers,  and  the 
authority  of  tlie  church,  many  endeavored  to  overthrow  the 
truth.  Its  advocates  were  driven  to  their  Bibles  to  defend 
the  validity  of  the  fourth  commandment.  Humble  men, 
armed  with  the  Word  of  truth  alone,  withstood  the  attacks 
of  men  of  learning,  who,  with  surprise  and  anger,  found 
their  eloquent  sophistry  powerless  against  the  simple, 
straightforward  reasoning  of  men  who  were  versed  in  the 
Scriptures  rather  than  in  the  subtleties  of  the  schools. 

In  the  absence  of  Bible  testimony  in  their  favor,  many 
with  unwearying  persistence  urged, —  forgetting  how  the 
same  reasoning  had  been  employed  against  Christ  and  His 
apostles, — "Why  do  not  our  great  men  understand  this 
Sabbath  question?  But  few  believe  as  you  do.  It  cannot 
be  that  you  are  right,  and  that  all  the  men  of  learning  in 
the  world  are  wrong." 

To  refute  such  arguments  it  was  needful  only  to  cite  the 

teachings  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  history  of  the  Lord's 

dealings  with  His  people  in  all  ages.     God  works  through 

those  who  hear  and  obey  His  voice,  those  who  will,  if  need 

»Job  38:6,7;  Gen.  2:1-3. 


456  THE  GREAT  CGNTBOVERSY 

be,  speak  unpalatable  trutlis,  those  who  do  not  fear  to  re- 
prove popular  sins.  The  reason  why  He  does  not  oftener 
choose  men  of  learning  and  high  position  to  lead  out  in 
reform  movements,  is  that  they  trust  to  their  creeds,  theo- 
ries, and  theological  systems,  and  feel  no  need  to  be  taught 
of  God.  Only  those  who  have  a  personal  connection  with 
the  Source  of  wisdom  are  able  to  understand  or  explain 
the  Scriptures.  Men  who  have  little  of  the  learning  of  the 
schools  are  sometimes  called  to  declare  the  truth,  not  because 
they  are  unlearned,  but  because  they  are  not  too  self-suffi- 
cient to  be  taught  of  God.  They  learn  in  the  school  of 
Christ,  and  their  humility  and  obedience  make  them  great. 
In  committing  to  tliem  a  knowledge  of  His  truth,  God 
confers  upon  them  an  honor,  in  comparison  with  which 
earthly  honor  and  human  greatness  sink  into  insignificance. 

The  majority  of  Adventists  rejected  the  truths  concerning 
the  sanctuary  and  the  law  of  God,  and  many  also  renounced 
their  faith  in  the  Advent  Movement,  and  adopted  unsound 
and  contiieting  views  of  tlie  prophecies  which  applied  to 
that  work.  Some  were  led  into  the  error  of  repeatedly  fixing 
upon  a  definite  time  for  the  coming  of  Christ.  The  light 
which  was  now  shining  on  the  subject  of  the  sanctuary 
would  have  shown  them  that  no  prophetic  period  extends  to 
the  second  advent;  that  the  exact  time  of  this  event  is  not 
foretold.  But,  turning  from  the  light,  they  continued  to  set 
time  after  time  for  the  Lord  to  come,  and  as  often  they  were 
disappointed. 

Wlien  the  Thessalonian  church  received  erroneous  views 
concerning  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  apostle  Paul  counseled 
them  to  test  their  hopes  and  anticipations  carefully  by  the 
word  of  God.  He  cited  them  to  prophecies  revealing  the 
events  to  take  place  before  Christ  should  come,  and  showed 
that  they  had  no  ground  to  expect  Him  in  their  day.  "Let 
no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means, ' '  ^  are  his  words  of  warn-^ 
ing.  Should  they  indulge  expectations  that  were  not  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Scriptures,  they  would  be  led  to  a  mistaken 

»2  Thess.  2:3. 


A    WORK'  OF  REFORM  457 

course  of  action;  disappointment  would  expose  them  to  the 
derision  of  unbelievers,  and  they  would  be  in  danger  of 
yielding  to  discouragement,  and  would  be  tempted  to  doubt 
the  truths  essential  for  their  salvation.  The  apostle's  ad- 
monition to  the  Thessalonians  contains  an  important  lesson 
for  those  who  live  in  the  last  days.  Many  Adventists  have 
felt  that  unless  they  could  fix  their  faith  upon  a  definite 
time  for  the  Lord's  coming,  .they  could  not  be  zealous  and 
diligent  in  the  work  of  preparation.  But  as  their  hopes  are 
again  and  again  excited,  only  to  be  destroyed,  their  faith 
receives  such  a  shock  that  it  becomes  well-nigh  impossible 
for  them  to  be  impressed  by  the  great  truths  of  prophecy. 

The  preaching  of  a  definite  time  for  the  judgment,  in  the 
giving  of  the  first  message,  was  ordered  of  God.  The  com- 
putation of  the  prophetic  periods  on  which  that  message 
was  based,  placing  the  close  of  the  2300  days  in  the  autumn 
of  1844,  stands  without  impeachment.  The  repeated  efforts 
to  find  new  dates  for  tlie  beginning  and  close  of  the  pro- 
phetic periods,  and  the  unsound  reasoning  necessary  to 
sustain  these  positions,  not  only  lead  minds  away  from  the 
present  truth,  but  throw  contempt  upon  all  efforts  to  explain 
the  prophecies.  The  more  frequently  a  definite  time  is  set 
for  the  second  advent,  and  the  more  widely  it  is  taught,  the 
better  it  suits  the  purposes  of  Satan.  After  the  time  has 
passed,  he  excites  ridicule  and  contempt  of  its  advocates, 
and  thus  casts  reproach  upon  the  great  Advent  IMovement 
of  1843  and  1844.  Those  Avho  persist  in  this  error  will  at 
last  fix  upon  a  date  too  far  in  the  future  for  the  coming  of 
Christ.  Thus  they  will  be  led  to  rest  in  a  false  security, 
and  many  will  not  be  undeceived  until  it  is  too  late. 

The  history  of  ancient  Israel  is  a  striking  illustration  of 
the  past  experience  of  the  Adventist  body.  God  led  Ilis 
people  in  the  Advent  Movement,  even  as  He  led  the  children 
of  Israel  from  Egypt.  In  the  great  disappointment  their 
faith  was  tested  as  was  that  of  the  Hebrews  at  the  Red  Sea. 
Had  they  still  trusted  to  the  guiding  hand  that  had  been 


458  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

with  them  in  their  past  experience,  they  would  have  seen 
of  the  salvation  of  God.  If  all  who  had  labored  unitedly 
in  the  work  in  1844,  had  received  the  third  angel's  message 
and  proclaimed  it  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Lord 
would  have  wrought  mightily  with  their  efforts.  A  flood 
of  light  would  have  been  shed  upon  tlie  world.  Years  ago 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  would  have  been  warned,  the 
closing  work  completed,  and  .Christ  would  have  come  for 
the   redemption   of  His  people. 

It  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  Israel  should  wander  forty 
years  in  the  wilderness;  He  desired  to  lead  them  directly  to 
the  land  of  Canaan,  and  establish  them  there,  a  holy,  happy 
people.  But  ' '  they  could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief. ' ' ' 
Because  of  their  backsliding  and  apostasy,  they  perished  in 
the  desert,  and  others  were  raised  up  to  enter  the  promised 
land.  In  like  manner,  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  the 
coming  of  Christ  should  be  so  long  delayed,  and  His  people 
should  remain  so  many  years  in  this  world  of  sin  and  sorrow. 
But  unbelief  separated  them  from  God.  As  they  refused  to 
do  the  work  which  He  had  appointed  them,  others  were 
raised  up  to  proclaim  the  message.  In  mercy  to  the  world, 
Jesus  delays  His  coming,  that  sinners  may  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  hear  the  warning,  and  find  in  Him  a  shelter  before 
the  wrath  of  God  sliall  be  poured  out. 

Now,  as  in  former  ages,  the  presentation  of  a  truth  that 
reproves  the  sins  and  errors  of  the  times,  will  excite  oppo- 
sition. "Every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither 
Cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved."' 
As  men  see  that  they  cannot  maintain  their  position  by  the 
Scriptures,  many  determine  to  maintain  it  at  all  hazards, 
and  with  a  malicious  spirit  they  assail  the  character  and 
motives  of  those  "who  stand  in  defense  of  unpopular  truth. 
It  is  the  same  policy  which  has  been  pursued  in  all  ages. 
Elijah  was  declared  to  be  a  troubler  in  Israel,  Jeremiah  a 
traitor,  Paul  a  polluter  of  the  temple.  From  that  day  to 
this,  those  who  would  be  loyal  to  truth  have  been  denounced 
»Heb.  3:19.  »  John  3:20. 


A   WOBK  OF  REFORM  459 

as  seditious,  heretical,  or  schismatic.  Multitudes  who  are 
too  unbelieving  to  accept  the  sure  word  of  prophecy,  will 
receive  with  unquestioning  credulity  an  accusation  against 
those. who  dare  to  reprove  fashionable  sins.  This  spirit  will 
increase  more  and  more.  And  the  Bible  plainly  teaches 
that  a  time  is  approaching  when  the  laws  of  the  state  will 
so  conflict  with  the  law  of  God  that  whosoever  would  obey 
all  the  divine  precepts  must  brave  reproach  and  punish^ 
ment  as  an  evil-doer. 

In  view  of  this,  what  is  the  duty  of  the  messenger  of 
truth?  Shall  he  conclude  that  the  truth  ought  not  to  be 
presented,  since  often  its  only  effect  is  to  arouse  men  to  evade 
or  resist  its  claims  ?  No ;  he  has  no  more  reason  for  with- 
holding the  testimony  of  God's  word,  because  it  excites  oppo- 
sition, than  had  earlier  reformers.  The  confession  of  faith 
made  by  saints  and  martyrs  was  recorded  for  the  benefit  of 
succeeding  generations.  Those  living  examples  of  holiness 
and  steadfast  integrity  have  come  down  to  inspire  courage 
in  those  who  are  now  called  to  stand  as  witnesses  for  God. 
They  received  grace  and  truth,  not  for  themselves  alone,  but 
tliat,  through  them,  the  knowledge  of  God  might  enlighten 
the  earth.  Has  God  given  light  to  His  servants  in  this  gen- 
eration?    Then  they  should  let  it  shine  forth  to  the  world. 

Anciently  the  Lord  declared  to  one  who  spoke  in  His 
name,  "The  house  of  Israel  will  not  hearken  unto  thee;  for 
they  will  not  hearken  unto  IMe. "  Nevertheless  He  said, 
"Thou  shalt  speak  j\Iy  words  unto  them,  whether  they  will 
hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear." '  To  the  servant  of  God 
at  this  time  is  the  command  addressed,  "Lift  up  thy  voice 
like  a  trumpet,  and  show  ^ly  people  their  transgression,  and 
the  house   of  Jacob   their   sins." 

So  far  as  his  opportunities  extend,  every  one  who  has  re- 
ceived the  light  of  truth  is  under  the  same  solemn  and  fear- 
ful responsibility  as  was  the  prophet  of  Israel,  to  whom  the 
word  of  the  Lord  came,  saying:  "Son  of  man,  I  have  set 
thee  a  watchman  unto  the  house  of  Israel ;  therefore  thou 
'Eze.  3:7j   2:7. 


460  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

shalt  hear  the  word  at  My  mouth,  and  warn  them  from 
Me.  When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  0  wicked  man,  thou  shalt 
surely  die;  if  thou  dost  not  speak  to  warn  the  wicked  from 
his  way,  that  wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity;  but  his 
blood  wall  I  require  at  thine  hand.  Nevertheless,  if  thou 
warn  the  wicked  of  his  way  to  turn  from  it;  if  he  do  not 
turn  from  his  way,  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity;  but  thou 
hast  delivered  thy  soul."* 

The  great  obstacle  both  to  the  acceptance  and  to  the 
promulgation  of  truth,  is  the  fact  that  it  involves  incon- 
venience and  reproach.  This  is  the  only  argument  against 
the  truth  which  its  advocates  have  never  been  able  to  refute. 
But  this  does  not  dfeter  the  true  followers  of  Christ.  These 
do  not  wait  for  truth  to  become  popular.  Being  convinced 
of  their  duty,  they  deliberately  accept  the  cross,  with  the 
apostle  Paul  counting  that  "our  light  affliction,  which  is 
but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory;'"  with  one  of  old,  "esteeming  the 
reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in 
Egypt.'" 

Whatever  may  be  their  profession,  it  is  only  those  who 
are  world-servers  at  heart  that  act  from  policy  rather  than 
principle  in  religious  things.  We  should  choose  the  right 
because  it  is  right,  and  leave  consequences  with  God.  To 
men  of  principle,  faith,  and  daring,  the  world  is  indebted 
for  its  great  reforms.  By  such  men  the  work  of  reform  for 
this  time  must  be  carried  forward. 

Thus  saith  the  Lord:  "Hearken  unto  Me,  ye  that  know 
righteousness,  the  people  in  whose  heart  is  My  law;  fear  ye 
not  the  reproach  of  men,  neither  be  ye  afraid  of  their  re- 
vilings.  For  the  moth  shall  eat  them  up  like  a  garment, 
and  the  worm  shall  eat  them  like  wool:  but  My  righteous- 
ness shall  be  forever,  and  My  salvation  from  generation  to 
generation. ' '  * 

*Eze.  33:7-9.         *2Cor.  4:17.  »Heb.  11:26.  'Isa.  51:7.8. 


MODERN    REUI\7ALS-27 

Wherever  the  word  of  God  has  been  faithfully  preached, 
results  have  followed  that  attested  its  divine  origin.  The 
Spirit  of  God  accompanied  the  message  of  His  servants,  and 
the  word  was  with  power.  Sinners  felt  their  consciences 
quickened.  The  ''light  which  lighteth  every  man  that  Com- 
eth into  the  world,"  illumined  the  secret  chambers  of  their 
souls,  and  the  hidden  things  of  darkness  were  made  mani- 
fest. Deep  conviction  took  hold  upon  their  minds  and  hearts. 
They  were  convinced  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of 
judgment  to  come.  They  had  a  sense  of  the  righteousness 
of  Jehovah,  and  felt  the  terror  of  appearing,  in  their  guilt 
and  uncleanness,  before  the  Searcher  of  hearts.  In  anguish 
they  cried  out,  "Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death?"  As  the  cross  of  Calvary,  with  its  infinite  sacrifice 
for  the  sins  of  men,  was  revealed,  they  saw  that  nothing  but 
the  merits  of  Christ  could  suffice  to  atone  for  their  trans- 
gressions; this  alone  could  reconcile  man  to  God.  With 
faith  and  humility  they  accepted  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  Through  the  blood  of 
Jesus  they  had  "remission  of  sins  that  are  past." 

These  souls  brought  forth  fruit  meet  for  repentance. 
They  believed  and  were  baptized,  and  rose  to  walk  in  newness 
of  life, —  new  creatures  in  Christ)  Jesus ;  not  to  fashion  them- 
selves according  to  the  fonner  lusts,  but  by  the  faith  of  the 

(461) 


462  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Son  of  God  to  follow  in  His  steps,  to  reflect  His  character^ 
and  to  purify  themselves  even  as  He  is  pure.  The  things 
they  once  hated,  they  now  loved;  and  the  things  they 
once  loved,  they  hated.  The  proud  and  self-assertive  became 
meek  and  lowly  of  heart.  The  vain  and  supercilious  became 
serious  and  unobtrusive.  The  profane  became  reverent,  the 
drunken  sober,  and  the  profligate  pure.  The  vain  fashions  of 
the  world  were  laid  aside.  Christians  sought  not  the  "out- 
ward adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold, 
or  of  putting  on  of  apparel;  but  .  .  .  the  hidden  man  of 
the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible,  even  the  orna- 
ment of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of 
God  of  great  price.  "^ 

Revivals  brought  deep  heart-searching  and  humility. 
They  were  characterized  by  solemn,  earnest  appeals  to  the 
sinner,  by  yearning  compassion  for  the  purchase  of  the 
blood  of  Christ.  IMen  and  women  prayed  and  wrestled  with 
God  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  fruits  of  such  revivals 
were  seen  in  souls  who  shrank  not  at  self-denial  and  sacrifice, 
but  rejoiced  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  reproach 
and  trial  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  Men  beheld  a  transforma- 
tion in  the  lives  of  those  who  had  professed  the  name  of 
Jesus.  The  community  was  benefited  by  their  influence. 
They  gathered  with  Christ,  and  sowed  to  the  Spirit,  to  reap 
life  everlasting. 

It  could  be  said  of  them:  **Ye  sorrowed  to  repentance." 
"For  godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation  not  to  be 
repented  of:  but  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 
For  behold  this  selfsame  thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a 
godly  sort,  what  carefulness  it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  what 
clearing  of  yourselves,  yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what  fear, 
yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea,  what  zeal,  yea,  what  revenge ! 
In  all  things  ye  have  approved  yourselves  to  be  clear  in 
tji^s  matter. " " 

^,({|This  is  the  result  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God.    There 

is  no  evidence  of  genuine  repentance  unless  it  works  reforma- 

U  Peter  3:3,4.  "2  Cor.  7:9-11. 


MODEJtN  REVIVALS?  463 

tion.  If  he  restore  the  pledge,  give  again  that  he  had  robbed, 
confess  his  sins,  and  love  God  and  his  fellow-men,  the  sinner 
may  be  sure  that  he  has  found  peace  with  God.  Such  were 
the  effects  that  in  former  years  followed  seasons  of  religious 
awakening.  Judged  by  their  fruits,  they  were  known  to  be 
blessed  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  men  and  the  uplifting  of 
humanity. 

But  many  of  the  revivals  of  modern  times  have  presented 
a  marked  contrast  to  those  manifestations  of  divine  grace 
which  in  earlier  days  followed  the  labors  of  God's  servants. 
It  is  true  that  a  wide-spread  interest  is  kindled,  many  profess 
conversion,  and  there  are  large  accessions  to  the  churches; 
nevertheless  the  results  are  not  such  as  to  warrant  the 
belief  that  there  has  been  a  corresponding  increase  of  real 
spiritual  life.  The  light  which  flames  up  for  a  time  soon 
dies  out,  leaving  the  darkness  more  dense  than  before. 

Popular  revivals  are  too  often  carried  by  appeals  to  the 
imagination,  by  exciting  the  emotions,  by  gratifying  the  love 
for  what  is  new  and  startling.  Converts  thus  gained  have 
little  desire  to  listen  to  Bible  truth,  little  interest  in  the  testi- 
mony of  prophets  and  apostles.  Unless  a  religious  service 
has  something  of  a  sensational  character,  it  has  no  attrac- 
tions for  them.  A  message  which  appeals  to  unimpas- 
sioned  reason  awakens  no  response.  The  plain  warnings 
of  God's  word,  relating  directly  to  their  eternal  interests, 
are  unheeded. 

"With  every  truly  converted  soul  the  relation  to  God  and 
to  eternal  things  will  be  the  great  topic  of  life.  But  where, 
in  the  popular  churches  of  to-day,  is  the  spirit  of  consecra- 
tion to  God?  The  converts  do  not  renounce  their  pride  and 
love  of  the  world.  They  are  no  more  willing  to  deny  self,  to 
take  up  the  cross,  and  follow  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  than 
before  their  conversion.  Religion  has  become  the  sport  of 
infidels  and  skeptics  because  so  many  who  bear  its  name 
are  ignorant  of  its  principles.  The  power  of  godliness  has 
well-nigh  departed  from  many  of  the  churches.  Picnics, 
church  theatricals,  church  fairs,  fine  houses,  persotial  display, 


404  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

have  banished  thoughts  of  God.  Lands  and  goods  and 
worldly  occupations  engross*  the  mind,  and  things  of  eternal 
interest  receive  hardly  a  passing  notice. 

Notwithstanding  the  wide-spread  declension  of  faith  and 
piety,  there  are  true  followers  of  Christ  in  these  churches. 
Before  the  final  visitation  of  God's  judgments  upon  the 
earth,  there  will  be,  among  the  people  of  the  Lord,  such  a 
re\'ival  of  primitive  godliness  as  has  not  been  witnessed 
since  apostolic  times.  The  Spirit  and  power  of  God  will  be 
poured  out  upon  His  children.  At  that  time  many  will 
separate  themselves  from  those  churches  in  which  the  love 
of  tliis  world  has  supplanted  love  for  God  and  His  word. 
Many,  both  of  ministers  and  people,  will  gladly  accept  those 
great  truths  which  God  has  caused  to  be  proclaimed  at  this 
time,  to  prepare  a  people  for  the  Lord's  second  coming.  The 
enemy  of  souls  desires  to  hinder  this  work;  and  before  the 
time  for  such  a  movement  shall  come,  he  will  endeavor  to 
prevent  it,  by  introducing  a  counterfeit.  In  those  churches 
which  he  can  bring  under  his  deceptive  power,  he  will  make 
it  appear  that  God's  special  blessing  is  poured  out;  there 
will  be  manifest  what  is  thought  to  be  great  religious  interest. 
Multitudes  will  exult  that  God  is  working  marvelously  for 
them,  when  the  work  is  that  of  another  spirit.  Under  a 
religious  guise,  Satan  ^vill  seek  to  extend  his  influence 
over  the   Christian   world. 

In  many  of  the  revivals  which  have  occurred  during  the 
last  half  century,  the  same  influences  have  been  at  work,  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  that  will  be  manifest  in  the  more 
extensive  movements  of  the  future.  There  is  an  emotional 
excitement,  a  mingling  of  the  true  with  the  false,  that  is 
well  adapted  to  mislead.  Yet  none  need  be  deceived.  In 
the  light  of  God's  word  it  is  not  difficult  to  determine  the 
nature  of  these  movements.  Wherever  men  neglect  the 
testimony  of  the  Bible,  turning  away  from  those  plain,  soul- 
testing  truths  which  require  self-denial  and  renunciation  of 
the  world,  there  we  may  be  sure  that  God's  blessing  is  not 


MODERN  REVIVALS  465 

bestowed.  And  by  tlie  rule  which  Christ  Himself  has  given, 
"Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits,'"  it  is  evident  that 
these  movements  are  not  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

In  the  truths  of  His  word,  God  has  given  to  men  a  reve- 
lation of  Himself;  and  to  all  who  accept  them  they  are  a 
shield  against  the  deceptions  of  Satan.  It  is  a  neglect  of 
these  truths  that  has  opened  the  door  to  the  evils  which  are 
now  becoming  so  wide-spread  in  the  religious  world.  The 
nature  and  the  importance  of  the  law  of  God  have  been,  to 
a  great  extent,  lost  sight  of.  A  wrong  conception  of  the 
character,  the  perpetuity,  and  the  obligation  of  the  divine 
law,  has  led  to  errors  in  relation  to  conversion  and  sanctifica- 
tion,  and  has  resulted  in  lowering  the  standard  of  piety  in 
the  church.  Here  is  to  be  found  the  secret  of  the  lack  of  the 
Spirit  and  power  of  God  in  the  revivals  of  our  time. 

There  are,  in  the  various  denominations,  men  eminent 
for  their  piety,  by  whom  this  fact  is  acknowledged  and  de- 
plored. Prof.  Edwards  A.  Park,  in  setting  forth  the  current 
religious  perils,  ably  says:  "One  source  of  danger  is  the 
neglect  of  the  pulpit  to  enforce  the  divine  law.  In  former 
days  the  pulpit  was  an  echo  of  the  voice  of  conscience.  .  .  . 
Our  most  illustrious  preachers  gave  a  wonderful  majesty  to 
their  discourses  by  following  the  example  of  the  Master,  and 
giving  prominence  to  the  law,  its  precepts,  and  its  threat- 
enings.  They  repeated  the  two  great  maxims,  that  the  law 
is  a  transcript  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  that  a  man  who 
does  not  love  the  law  does  not  love  the  gospel;  for  the  law, 
as  well  as  the  gospel,  is  a  mirror  reflecting  the  true  char- 
acter of  God.  This  peril  leads  to  another,  that  of  under- 
rating the  evil  of  sin,  the  extent  of  it,  the  demerit  of  it.  In 
proportion  to  the  rightfulness  of  the  commandment  is  the 
wrongfulness  of  disobeying  it.  .  .  . 

"Affiliated  to  the  dangers  already  named  is  the  danger 
of  underestimating  the  justice  of  God.  The  tendency  of 
the  modern  pulpit  is  to  strain  out  the  divine  justice  from 
the  divine  benevolence,  to  sink  benevolence  into  a  sentiment 

»Matt.  7:16. 


466  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

rather  than  exalt  it  into  a  principle.  The  new  theological 
prism  puts  asunder  what  God  has  joined  together.  Is  the 
divine  law  a  good  or  an  evil?  It  is  a  good.  Then  justice 
is  good ;  for  it  is  a  disposition  to  execute  the  law.  From  the 
habit  of  underrating  the  divine  law  and  justice,  the  extent 
and  demerit  of  human  disobedience,  men  easily  slide  into 
the  habit  of  underestimating  the  grace  which  has  provided 
an  atonement  for  sin."  Thus  the  gospel  loses  its  value  and 
importance  in  the  minds  of  men,  and  soon  they  are  ready 
practically  to  east  aside  the  Bible  itself. 

INIany  religious  teachers  assert  that  Christ  by  His  death 
abolished  the  law,  and  men  are  henceforth  free  from  its 
requirements.  There  are  some  who  represent  it  as  a  grievous 
yoke ;  and  in  contrast  to  the  bondage  of  the  law,  they  present 
the  liberty  to  ])e  enjoyed  under  the  gospel. 

But  not  so  did  prophets  and  apostles  regard  the  holy  law 
of  God.  Said  David,  ' '  I  will  walk  at  liberty :  for  I  seek  Thy 
precepts. ' '  *  The  apostle  James,  who  wrote  after  the  death 
of  Christ,  refers  to  the  decalogue  as  the  "royal  law,"  and  the 
"perfect  law  of  liberty."  "  And  the  Revelator,  half  a  century 
after  the  crucifixion,  pronounces  a  blessing  upon  them  "that 
do  His  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree 
of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city. ' '  * 

The  claim  that  Christ  by  His  death  abolished  His  Father's 
law,  is  without  foundation.  Had  it  been  possible  for  the 
law  to  be  changed  or  set  aside,  then  Christ  need  not  have 
died  to  save  man  from  the  penalty  of  sin.  The  death  of 
Christ,  so  far  from  abolishing  the  law,  proves  that  it  is  im- 
mutable. The  Son  of  God  came  to  "magnify  the  law,  and 
make  it  honorable. ' '  *  He  said,  ' '  Think  not  that  I  am  come 
to  destroy  the  law;"  "till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or 
one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law."°  And  con- 
cerning Himself  He  declares,  "I  delight  to  do  Thy  will,  O 
My  God:  yea,  Thy  law  is  within  My  heart."' 

*Ps.  119:45.  =>  James  2:8;   1:25.  'Rev.  22:14. 

*Isa.  42:^1.  'Matt.  5:17,18,  'Ps.  40:8. 


3WDERN  REVIVALS  467 

The  law  of  God,  from  its  very  nature,  is  unchangeable. 
It  is  a  revelation  of  the  will  and  the  character  of  its  Author. 
God  is  love,  and  His  law  is  love.  Its  two  great  principles 
are  love  to  God  and  love  to  man.  "Love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law. ' ' '  The  character  of  God  is  righteousness  and  truth ; 
such  is  the  nature  of  His  law.  Says  the  psalmist,  "Thy  law 
is  the  truth;"  "all  Thy  commandments  are  righteousness."* 
And  the  apostle  Paul  declares,  "The  law  is  holy,  and  the 
commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good."^  Such  a  law, 
being  an  expression  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  must  be 
as  enduring  as  its  Author. 

It  is  the  work  of  conversion  and  sanetification  to  reconcile 
men  to  God,  by  bringing  them  into  accord  with  the  princi- 
ples of  His  law.  In  the  beginning,  man  was  created  in  the 
image  of  God.  He  was  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  nature 
and  the  law  of  God;  the  principles  of  righteousness  were 
written  upon  his  heart.  But  sin  alienated  him  from  his 
Maker.  He  no  longer  reflected  the  divine  image.  His  heart 
was  at  war  with  the  principles  of  God's  law.  "The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God :  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."*  But  "God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son, ' '  that  man  might 
be  reconciled  to  God.  Through  the  merits  of  Christ  he  can 
be  restored  to  harmony  with  his  Maker.  His  heart  must  be 
renewed  by  divine  grace;  he  must  have  a  new  life  from 
above.  This  change  is  the  new  birth,  without  which,  says 
Jesus,   "he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

The  first  step  in  reconciliation  to  God,  is  the  conviction  of 
sin.  "Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law."  "By  the  law  is 
the  knowledge  of  sin.""  In  order  to  see  his  guilt,  the  sinner 
must  test  his  character  by  God's  great  standard  of  righteous- 
ness. It  is  a  mirror  which  shows  the  perfection  of  a  righteous 
character,  and  enables  him  to  discern  the  defects  in  his  own. 

The  law  reveals  to  man  his  sins,  but  it  provides  no  rem- 
edy.    While  it  promises  life  to  the  obedient,  it  declares  that 

-Rom.  13:10.  'Ps.  119:142,172.  'Rom.  7:12. 

*Eom.  8:7.  "1  John  3:4;  Kom.  3:20. 


468  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

death  is  the  portion  of  the  transgressor.  The  gospel  of 
Christ  alone  can  free  him  from  the  condemnation  or  the  de- 
filement of  sin.  He  must  exercise  repentance  toward  God, 
whose  law  has  been  transgressed;  and  faith  in  Christ,  his 
atoning  sacrifice.  Thus  he  obtains  "remission  of  sins  that 
are  past,"  and  becomes  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature.  He 
is  a  child  of  God,  having  received  the  spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  he  cries,  "Abba,  Father!" 

Is  he  now  free  to  transgress  God 's  law  1  Says  Paul :  * '  Do 
we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith?  God  forbid: 
yea,  we  establisli  the  law."  "How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to 
sin,  live  any  longer  therein?"  And  John  declares,  "This  is 
the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  His  commandments:  and  His 
commandments  are  not  grievous. "  *  In  the  new  birth  the 
heart  is  brought  into  harmony  with  God,  as  it  is  brought 
into  accord  with  His  law.  Wlien  this  mighty  change  has 
taken  place  in  the  sinner,  he  has  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  from  sin  unto  holiness,  from  transgression  and  rebellion 
to  obedience  and  loyalty.  The  old  life  of  alienation  from 
God  has  ended;  the  new  life  of  reconciliation,  of  faith  and 
love,  has  begun.  Then  "the  righteousness  of  the  law"  will 
"be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit. ' ' '  And  the  language  of  the  soul  will  be,  "0 
how  love  I  Thy  law!  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day."" 

"The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul."" 
Witliout  the  law,  men  have  no  just  conception  of  the  purity 
and  holiness  of  God,  or  of  their  own  guilt  and  uncleanness. 
They  have  no  true  conviction  of  sin,  and  feel  no  need  of 
repentance.  Not  seeing  their  lost  condition  as  violators  of 
God's  law,  they  do  not  realize  their  need  of  the  atoning 
blood  of  Christ.  The  hope  of  salvation  is  accepted  without 
a  radical  change  of  heart  or  reformation  of  life.  Thus  super- 
ficial conversions  abound,  and  multitudes  are  joined  to  the 
church  who  have  never  been  united  to  Christ. 

»Rom.  3:31;  6:2;   1  John  5:3.-  'Rom.  8:4. 

«Pa.  119:97.  *Ps.  19:7. 


MODERN  REVWALS  469 

Erroneous  theories  of  sanctification,  also,  springing  from 
neglect  or  rejection  of  the  divine  law,  have  a  prominent 
place  in  the  religious  movements  of  the  day.  These  theories 
are  both  false  in  doctrine  and  dangerous  in  practical  results; 
and  the  fact  that  they  are  so  generally  finding  favor,  ren- 
ders it  doubly  essential  that  all  have  a  clear  understanding 
of  what  the  Scriptures  teach  upon  this  point. 

True  sanctification  is  a  Bible  doctrine.  The  apostle  Paul, 
in  his  letter  to  the  Thessalonian  church,  declares,  "This  is 
the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification."  And  he  prays, 
"The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly."'  The  Bible 
clearly  teaches  what  sanctification  is,  and  how  it  is  to  be 
attained.  The  Saviour  prayed  for  His  disciples,  "Sanctify 
them  through  Thy  truth :  Thy  word  is  truth. ' ' '  And  Paul 
teaches  that  believers  are  to  be  ' '  sanctified  by  ^  the  Holy 
Ghost."'  What  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit ?  Jesus  told 
His  disciples,  "When  He,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come.  He 
will  guide  you  into  all  truth."*  And  the  psalmist  says, 
' '  Thy  law  is  the  truth. ' '  By  the  word  and  the  Spirit  of  God 
are  opened  to  men  the  great  principles  of  righteousness  em- 
bodied in  His  law.  And  since  the  law  of  God  is  "holy,  and 
just,  and  good,"  a  transcript  of  the  divine  perfection,  it  fol- 
lows that  a  character  formed  by  obedience  to  that  law  will 
be  holy.  Christ  is  a  perfect  example  of  such  a  character. 
He  says,  * '  I  have  kept  My  Father 's  commandments. "  "  I  do 
always  those  things  that  please  Him."'  The  followers  of 
Christ  are  to  become  like  Him, —  by  the  grace  of  God  to 
form  characters  in  harmony  with  the  principles  of  His  holy 
law.     This  is  Bible  sanctification. 

This  work  can  be  accomplished  only  through  faith  in 
Christ,  by  the  power  of  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  God.  Paul 
admonishes  believers,  "Work  out  your  own  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you 
both  to  will  and  to  do  of  His  good  pleasure."'  The  Chris- 
tian will  feel  the  promptings  of  sin,  but  he  will  maintain  a 

'1  Thess.  4:3;  5:23.         "John  17:17,19.  "  Eom.  15:16. 

•John  16:13.  » John  15:10;  8:29.        "Phil.  2:12,  13. 


470  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

constant  warfare  against  it.  Here  is  where  Christ's  help  is 
needed.  Human  weakness  becomes  united  to  divine  strength, 
and  faith  exclaims,  "Thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us 
the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. ' ' ' 

The  Scriptures  plainly  show  that  the  work  of  sanctifi- 
cation  is  progressive.  When  in  conversion  the  sinner  finds 
peace  with  God  through  the  blood  of  the  atonement,  the 
Christian  life  has  but  just  begun.  Now  he  is  to  "go  on  unto 
perfection;"  to  grow  up  "unto  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  Says  the  apostle  Paul,  "This  one 
thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press 
toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus." '  And  Peter  sets  before  us  the  steps  by  which 
Bible  sanc.tification  is  to  be  attained :  ' '  Giving  all  diligence, 
add  to  your  faith  virtue ;  and  to  virtue  knowledge ;  and  to 
knowledge  temperance;  and  to  temperance  patience;  and  to 
patience  godliness;  and  to  godliness  brotherly  kindness;  and 
to  brotherly  kindness  charity.  ...  If  ye  do  these  things, 
ye  shall  never  fall. ' '  * 

Those  who  experience  the  sanetification  of  the  Bible  will 
manifest  a  spirit  of  humility.  Like  Moses,  they  have  had 
a  view  of  the  awful  majesty  of  holiness,  and  they  see  their 
own  unworthiness  in  contrast  Avith  the  purity  and  exalted 
perfection  of  the  Infinite  One. 

'  '  The  prophet  Daniel  was  an  example  of  true  sanetification. 
His  long  life  was  filled  up  ^\'ith  noble  service  for  his  ]\Iaster. 
lie  was  a  man  "greatly  beloved"*  of  Heaven.  Yet  instead 
of  claiming  to  be  pure  and  holy,  this  honored  prophet  iden- 
tified himself  with  the  really  sinful  of  Israel,  as  he  pleaded 
before  God  in  behalf  of  his  people:  "We  do  not  present  our 
supplications  before  Thee  for  our  righteousnesses,  but  for  Thy 
great  mercies."  "We  have  sinned,  we  have  done  wickedly." 
He  declares,  "I  was  speaking,  and  praying,  and  confessing 
my  sin  and  the  sin  of  my  people."  And  when  at  a  later 
time  the  Son  of  God  appeared,  to  give  him  instruction, 
U  Cor.  15:57.       =  Phil.  3:13,14.      '2  Peter  1:5-10.       ♦Dan.  10:11. 


MODERN  REVIVALS  471 

Daniel  says,  "My  comeliness  was  turned  in  me  into  cor- 
ruption, and  1  retained  no  strength. ' ' ' 

When  Job  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  out  of  the  whirl- 
wind, he  exclaimed,  ''I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes. " '  It  was  when  Isaiah  saw  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
and  heard  the  cherubim  crying,  "Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the 
Lord  of  hosts,"  that  he  cried  out,  "Woe  is  me!  for  I  am 
undone."*  Paul,  after  he  was  caught  up  into  the  third 
heaven,  and  heard  things  which  it  was  not  possible  for  a 
man  to  utter,  speaks  of  himself  as  "less  than  the  least  of 
all  saints."*  It  was  the  beloved  John,  who  leaned  on  Jesus' 
breast  and  beheld  His  glory,  that  fell  as  one  dead  before 
the  feet  of  the  angel.^ 

There  can  be  no  self-exaltation,  no  boastful  claim  to 
freedom  from  sin,  on  the  part  of  those  who  walk  in  the 
shadow  of  Calvary's  cross.  They  feel  that  it  was  their  sin 
which  caused  the  agony  that  broke  the  heart  of  the  Son  of 
God,  and  this  thought  will  lead  them  to  self-abasement. 
Those  who  live  nearest  to  Jesus  discern  most  clearly  the 
frailty  and  sinfulness  of  humanity,  and  their  only  hope  is 
in  the  merit  of  a  crucified  and  risen  Saviour. 

The  sanctification  now  gaining  prominence  in  the  relig- 
ious world,  carries  with  it  a  spirit  of  self-exaltation,  and  a 
disregard  for  the  law  of  God,  that  mark  it  as  foreign  to  the 
religion  of  the  Bible.  Its  advocates  teach  that  sanctification 
is  an  instantaneous  work,  by  which,  through  faitii  alone, 
they  attain  to  perfect  holiness.  "Only  believe,"  say  they, 
"and  the  blessing  is  yours."  No  further  effort  on  the  part 
of  the  receiver  is  supposed  to  be  required.  At  the  same  time 
they  deny  the  authority  of  the  law  of  God,  urging  that  they 
are  released  from  obligation  to  keep  the  commandments. 
But  is  it  possible  for  men  to  be  holy,  in  accord  with  the  will 
and  character  of  God,  without  coming  into  harmony  with 
the  principles  which  are  an  expression  of  His  nature  and 
will,  and  which  show  what  is  well  pleasing  to  Ilim  ? 

'Dan.  9:18,  15,  20;   10:R.  Mob  42:6.  '  Tsa.  6:3,  5. 

*2  Cor.  12:2-4   (margin);  Eph.  3:8.  "Rev.  1:17. 


472  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  desire  for  an  easy  religion,  that  requires  no  striving, 
no  self-denial,  no  divorce  from  the  follies  of  the  world,  has 
made  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  faith  only,  a  popular  doc- 
trine; but  what  saith  the  word  of  God?  Says  the  apostle 
James:  ''What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man 
say  he  hath  faith,  and  have  not  works?  can  faith  save  him? 
.  .  o  Wilt  thou  know,  0  vain  man,  that  faith  without  works 
is  dead?  Was  not  Abraham  our  father  justified  by  works, 
when  he  had  offered  Isaac  his  son  upon  the  altar?  Seesi 
thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  works,  and  by  works  was 
faith  made  perfect?  ...  Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works  a 
gian  is  justified,  and  not  by  faith  only."^ 

The  testimony  of  the  word  of  God  is  against  this  en- 
snaring doctrine  of  faith  without  works.  It  is  not  faith 
that  claims  the  favor  of  Heaven  without  complying  with  the 
conditions  upon  which  mercy  is  to  be  granted,  it  is  pre- 
sumption ;  for  genuine  faith  has  its  foundation  in  the  prom- 
ises and  provisions  of  the  Scriptures. 

Let  none  deceive  themselves  with  the  belief  that  they  can 
become  holy  while  wilfully  violating  one  of  God's  require- 
ments. The  commission  of  a  known  sin  silences  the  wit- 
nessing voice  of  the  Spirit,  and  separates  the  soul  from 
God.  "Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law."  And  "whoso- 
ever sinneth  [transgresseth  the  law]  hath  not  seen  Him, 
neither  known  Him. ' '  ^  Though  John  in  his  epistles  dwells 
so  fully  upon  love,  yet  he  does  not  hesitate  to  reveal  the  true 
character  of  that  class  who  claim  to  be  sanctified  while  liv- 
ing in  transgression  of  the  law  of  God.  "He  that  saith,  I 
know  Him,  and  keepeth  not  His  commandments,  is  a  liar, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  him.  But  whoso  keepeth  His  word, 
in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected. ' '  ^  Here  is  the 
test  of  every  man's  profession.  We  cannot  accord  holiness 
to  any  man  without  bringing  him  to  the  measurement  of 
God's  only  standard  of  holiness  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
If  men  feel  no  weight  of  the  moral  law,  if  they  belittle  and 
make  light  of  God's  precepts,  if  they  break  one  of  the  least 

» James  2:14-24.  M  John  3:6.  *1  John  2:4,  5. 


MODERN  REVIVALS  473 

of  these  commandments,  and  teach  men  so,  tliey  shall  be  of 
no  esteem  in  the  si^ht  of  Heaven,  and  we  may  know  that 
their  claims  are  without   foundation. 

And  the  claim  to  be  without  sin  is,  in  itself,  evidence  that 
he  who  makes  this  claim  is  far  from  holy.  It  is  because  he 
has  no  true  conception  of  the  infinite  purity  and  holiness  of 
God,  or  of  what  they  must  become  who  shall  be  in  harmony 
with  His  character;  because  he  has  no  true  conception  of  the 
purity  and  exalted  loveliness  of  Jesus,  and  the  malignity 
and  evil  of  sin,  that  man  can  regard  himself  as  holy.  The 
greater  the  distance  between  himself  and  Christ,  and  the 
more  inadequate  his  conceptions  of  the  divine  character  and 
requirements,  the  more  righteous  he  appears  in  his  own  eyes. 

The  sanctification  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures  embraces  the 
entire  being,—  spirit,  soul,  and  body.  Paul  prayed  for  the 
Thessalonians,  that  their  "whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body 
be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."'  Again  he  writes  to  believers,  "I  beseech  you 
therefore,  brethren,  by  tlie  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  liply,  acceptable  unto  God."^ 
In  the  time  of  ancient  Israel,  every  offering  brought  as  a 
sacrifice  to  God  was  carefully  examined.  If  any  defect  was 
discovered  in  the  animal  presented,  it  was  refused;  for  God 
had  commanded  that  the  offering  be  "without  blemish." 
So  Christians  are  bidden  to  present  their  bodies,  "a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God."  In  order  to  do  this, 
all  their  powers  must  be  preserved  in  the  best  possible  con- 
dition. Every  practice  that  weakens  i)liysical  or  mental 
strength  unfits  man  for  the  service  of  his  Creator.  And 
will  God  be  pleased  with  anything  less  than  the  best  we  can 
offer?  Said  Christ,  "Tliou  slialt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart."  Tiiose  wlio  do  love  God  with  all  the 
heart  will  desire  to  give  Him  the  best  service  of  their  life, 
and  tliey  will  be  constantly  seeking  to  bring  every  power 
of  their  being  into  harmony  with  the  laws  that  will  promote 
their  ability  to  do  His  will.  They  will  not,  by  the  indulgence 
»1  Thesa.  5:23.  »Rom.  12:1. 


474  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  appetite  or  passion,  enfeeble  or  defile  the  offering  which 
they  present  to  their  heavenly  Father. 

Peter  says,  "Abstain  from  fleshly  lusts,  which  war 
against  the  soul. ' ' '  Every  sinful  gratification  tends  to  be- 
numb the  faculties  and  deaden  the  mental  and  spiritual  per- 
ceptions, and  the  word  or  the  Spirit  of  God  can  make  but 
a  feeble  impression  upon  the  heart.  Paul  writes  to  the 
Corinthians,  "Let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of 
the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."* 
And  with  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, — "love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness, ' ' —  he  classes 
"temperance."' 

Notwithstanding  these  inspired  declarations,  how  many 
professed  Christians  are  enfeebling  their  powers  in  the  pur- 
suit of  gain  or  the  worship  of  fashion ;  how  many  are  de- 
basing their  godlike  manhood  by  gluttony,  by  wine-drinking, 
by  forbidden  pleasure.  And  the  church,  instead  of  rebuking, 
too  often  encourages  the  evil  by  appealing  to  appetite,  to 
desire  for  gain  or  love  of  pleasure,  to  replenish  her  treasury, 
which  love  for  Clirist  is  too  feeble  to  supply.  Were  Jesus 
to  enter  the  churches  of  to-day,  and  behold  the  feasting 
and  unholy  traffic  there  conducted  in  the  name  of  religion, 
would  He  not  drive  out  those  desecrators,  as  He  banished 
the  money-changers  from  the  temple? 

The  apostle  James  declares  that  the  wisdom  from  above 
is  "first  pure."  Had  he  encountered  those  who  take  the 
precious  name  of  Jesus  upon  lips  defiled  by  tobacco,  those 
whose  breath  and  person  are  contaminated  by  its  foul  odor, 
and  who  polhite  the  air  of  heaven,  and  force  all  about  them 
to  inhale  the  poison, —  had  the  apostle  come  in  contact  with 
a  practice  so  opposed  to  the  purity  of  the  gospel,  would  he 
not  have  denounced  it  as  "earthly,  sensual,  devilish"? 
Slaves  of  tobacco,  claiming  the  blessing  of  entire  sanctifi- 
cation,  talk  of  their  hope  of  heaven;  but  God's  word  plainly 
declares  that  "there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything 
that  defileth."* 

n  Peter  2:11.        »2  Cor.  7;1.       "Gal.  5:22,  23.        *Eev.  21:27. 


MODERN  REVIVALS  475 

"Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are. 
not  your  own  ?  for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price :  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are 
God's."'  He  whose  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
will  not  be  enslaved  by  a  pernicious  habit.  His  powers 
belong  to  Christ,  who  has  bought  him  with  the  price  of 
blood.  His  property  is  the  Lord's.  How  could  lie  be  guilt- 
less in  squandering  this  intrusted  capital?  Professed  Chris- 
tians yearly  expend  an  immense  sum  upon  useless  and  per- 
nicious indulgences,  while  souls  are  perishing  for  the  word 
of  life.  God  is  robbed  in  tithes  and  offerings,  while  they 
consume  upon  the  altar  of  destroying  lust  more  than  they 
give  to  relieve  the  poor  or  for  the  support  of  the  gospel.  If 
all  who  profess  to  be  followers  of  Christ  were  truly  sancti- 
fied, their  means,  instead  of  being  spent  for  needless  and 
even  hurtful  indulgences,  would  be  turned  into  the  Lord's 
treasury,  and  Christians  would  set  an  example  of  temper- 
ance, self-denial,  and  self-sacrifice.  Then  they  would  be  the 
light  of  the  world. 

The  world  is  given  up  to  self-indulgence.  "The  lust  of 
the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,"  control 
the  masses  of  the  people.  But  Christ's  followers  have  a 
holier  calling.  "Come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye 
separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean."  In 
the  light  of  God's  word  we  are  justified  in  declaring  that 
sanctification  cannot  bo  genuine  which  does  not  work  this 
utter  renunciation  of  the  sinful  pursuits  and  gratifications 
of  the  world. 

To  those  who  comply  with  the  conditions,  "Come  out 
from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  .  .  .  and  touch  not" 
the  unclean,"  Gx)d's  promise  is,  "I  will  receive  you,  and 
will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  My  sons  and 
daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."'  It  is  the  privilege 
and  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  have  a  rich  and  abundant 
experience  in  the  things  of  God.  "I  am  the  light  of  the 
*1  Cor.  6:19.  20.  »2  Cor.  6:17,  18. 


476  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

world,"  said  Jesus.  ''He  that  followeth  Me  shall  not  walk 
in  darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."'  "The  path 
of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and 
more  unto  the  perfect  day."*  Every  step  of  faith  and 
obedience  brings  the  soul  into  closer  connection  with  the 
Light  of  the  world,  in  whom  "there  is  no  darkness  at  all." 
The  bright  beams  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shine  upon 
the  servants  of  God,  and  they  are  to  reflect  His  rays.  As  the 
stars  tell  us  that  there  is  a  great  light  in  heaven  with  whose 
glory  they  are  made  bright,  so  Christians  are  to  make  it 
manifest  that  there  is  a  God  on  the  throne  of  the  universe 
whose  character  is  worthy  of  praise  and  imitation.  The 
graces  of  His  Spirit,  the  purity  and  holiness  of  His  char- 
acter, will  be  manifest  in  His  witnesses. 

Paul,  in  his  letter  to  the  Colossians,  sets  forth  the  rich 
blessings  granted  to  the  children  of  God.  He  says:  "We 
"do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  to  desire  that  ye  might 
be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  His  will  in  all  wisdom  and 
spiritual  understanding;  that  ye  might  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in  every  good  work, 
and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God;  strengthened  with 
all  might,  according  to  His  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience 
and  long-sufiiering  with  joyfulness." ' 

Again  he  writes  of  his  desire  that  the  brethren  at  Ephesus 
might  come  to  understand  the  height  of  the  Christian's 
privilege.  He  opens  before  them,  in  the  most  comprehensive 
language,  the  marvelous  power  and  knowledge  that  they 
might  possess  as  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Most  High.  It 
was  theirs  "to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  IHs  Spirit  in 
the  inner  man,"  to  be  "rooted  and  grounded  in  love,"  to 
"comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,  and  depth,  and  height;  and  to  know  the  love  of 
Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge."  But  the  prayer  of  the 
apostle  reaches  the  climax  of  privilege  when  he  prays  tha.t 
"ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God."* 

^John   8:12.        =Prov.   4:18.        'Col.    1:9-11.        *  Eph.    3:16-19. 


MODERN  REVIVALS  iTl 

Here  are  revealed  the  heights  of  attainment  that  we  may 
reach  through  faith  in  the  promises  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
when  we  fulfil  His  requirements.  Through  the  merits  of 
Christ,  we  have  access  to  the  throne  of  Infinite  Power.  "He 
that  spared  not  His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us 
all,  how  shall  He  not  with  Him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things?'"  The  Father  gave  His  Spirit  without  measure  to 
His  Son,  and  we  also  may  partake  of  its  fulness.  Jesus 
says :  * '  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts 
unto  your  children:  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  Him?'"'  "If 
ye  shall  ask  an,ything  in  My  name,  T  will  do  it."  "Ask,  and 
ye  shall  receive,  that  your  joy  may  be  full."" 

While  the  Christian's  life  will  be  characterized  by  humil- 
ity, it  should  not  be  marked  with  sadness  and  self-deprecia- 
tion. It  is  the  privilege  of  every  one  so  to  live  that  God 
will  approve  and  bless  him.  It  is  not  the  will  of  our  heav- 
enly Father  that  we  should  be  ever  under  condemnation  and 
darkness.  There  is  no  evidence  of  true  humility  in  going 
with  the  head  bowed  down  and  the  heart  filled  with  thoughts 
of  self.  We  may  go  to  Jesus  and  be  cleansed,  and  stand  be- 
fore the  law  without  shame  and  remorse.  "There  is  there- 
fore now  no  condemnation  to  tiiera  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.".* 

Through  Jesus  the  fallen  sons  of  Adam  become  "sons  of 
God."  "Both  He  that  sanctifieth  and  they  that  are  sancti- 
fied are  all  of  one :  for  which  cause  He  is  not  ashamed  to 
call  them  brethren. "°  The  Christian's  life  should  be  one 
of  faith,  of  victory,  and  joy  in  God.  "Whatsoever  is  born 
of  God  overcometh  the  world :  and  this  is  the  victory  that 
overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith.""  Truly  spake  God's 
servant  Nehemiah,  "The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  strength.'" 
And  Paul  says:  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway :  and  again  I 
say,  Rejoice."     "Rejoice  evermore.     Pray  without  ceasing. 

*Eoin.  8:32.       ^'Luke  11:13.       Mohn   14:14;    16:24.       ■*  Eom.   8:1. 
•Heb.  2:11,  '1  John  5:4.  '  Neh.  8:10. 


478  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  everything  give  thanks:  for  this  is  the  will  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus  concerning  you, ' '  * 

Such  are  the  fruits  of  Bible  conversion  and  sanctification ; 
and  it  is  because  the  great  principles  of  righteousness  set 
forth  in  the  law  of  God  are  so  indifferently  regarded  by  the 
Christian  world,  that  these  fruits  are  so  rarely  witnessed. 
This  is  why  there  is  manifest  so  little  of  that  deep,  abiding 
work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  which  marked  revivals  in  former 
years. 

It  is  by  beholding  that  we  become  changed.  And  as  those 
sacred  precepts  in  which  God  has  opened  to  men  the  perfec- 
tion and  holiness  of  His  character  are  neglected,  and  the 
minds  of  the  peojile  are  attracted  to  human  teachings  and 
theories,  what  marvel  that  there  has  followed  a  decline  of 
living  piety  in  the  -church.  Saith  the  Lord,  ''They  have 
forsaken  ]\Ie  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them 
out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water. ' ' ' 

''Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of 
the  ungodly.  .  .  .  But  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord; 
and  in  His  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night.  And  he 
shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  that 
bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in  his  season;  his  leaf  also  shall  not 
wither ;  and  whatsoever  he  doeth  shall  prosper. " '  It  is 
only  as  the  law  of  God  is  restored  to  its  rightful  position 
that  there  can  be  a  revival  of  primitive  faith  and  godli- 
ness among  His  professed  people.  "Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Stand  ye  in  the  ways,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths, 
where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  for  your  souls. ' '  * 

*Phil.  4:4;   1  Thess.  5:16-18. 
^'Jer.  2:13.  ^Ps.   1:1-3.  *Jer.  6:16. 


THE   IMUESTIGATIl/E  JUDGMENT -28 

"I  beheld/'  says  the  prophet  Daniel,  ''till  thrones  were 
placed,  and  One  that  was  ancient  of  days  did  sit :  His  rai- 
ment was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  His  head  like  pure 
wool ;  His  throne  was  fiery  flames,  and  tlie  wheels  thereof 
burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from 
before  Him:  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  Him,  and 
ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  Him :  the 
judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened, ' ' ' 

Thus  was  presented  to  the  prophet's  vision  the  great  and 
solemn  day  when  the  characters  and  the  lives  of  men  should 
pass  in  review  before  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  and  to  every 
man  should  be  rendered  "according  to  his  works."  The 
Ancient  of  days  is  God  the  Father.  Says  the  psalmist, 
"Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth,  or  ever  Thou 
hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world,  even  from  everlast- 
ing to  everlasting.  Thou  art  God. " '  It  is  He,  the  source  of 
all  being,  and  the  fountain  of  all  law,  that  is  to  preside  in 
the  judgment.  And  holy  angels,  as  ministers  and  witnesses, 
in  number  "ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thou- 
sands of  thousands,"   attend   this   great   tribunal. 

"And,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of  man  came  with  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they 
brought  Him  near  before  Him.     And  tbere  was  given  Him 
'Dan.  7:9,10,  E.V.  'Ps.  90:2. 

(479) 


480  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  na- 
tions, and  languages,  should  serve  Him :  His  dominion  is 
an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away. ' '  ^  The 
coming  of  Christ  here  described  is  not  His  second  coming 
to  the  earth.  He  comes  to  the  Ancient  of  days  in  heaven 
to  receive  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  which  will 
be  given  Him  at  the  close  of  His  work  as  a  mediator.  It  is 
this  coming,  and  not  His  second  advent  to  the  earth,  that 
was  foretold  in  prophecy  to  take  place  at  the  termination  of 
the  2300  days  in  1844.  Attended  by  heavenly  angels,  our 
great  High  Priest  enters  the  holy  of  holies,  and  there  appears 
in  the  presence  of  God,  to  engage  in  the  last  acts  of  His 
ministration  in  behalf  of  man, —  to  perform  the  work  of 
investigative  judgment,  and  to  make  an  atonement  for  all 
who  are  shown  to  b^  entitled  to  its  benefits. 

In  the  typical  service,  only  those  who  had  come  before 
God  with  confession  and  repentance,  and  whose  sins,  through 
the  blood  of  the  sin-offering,  were  transferred  to  the  sanc- 
tuary, had  a  part  in  the  service  of  the  day  of  atonement. 
So  in  the  great  day  of  final  atonement  and  investigative 
judgment,  the  only  cases  considered  are  those  of  the  pro- 
fessed people  of  God.  The  judgment  of  the  wicked  is  a 
distinct  and  separate  work,  and  takes  place  at  a  later  period. 
"Judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God:  and  if  it  first 
})egin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not 
the  gospel?"' 

The  books  of  record  in  heaven,  in  which  the  names  and 
tlie  deeds  of  men  are  registered,  are  to  determine  the  decis- 
ions of  the  judgment.  Says  the  prophet  Daniel,  "The  judg- 
ment was  set,  and' the  books  were  opened."  The  revelator, 
describing  the  same  scene,  adds,  "Another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  book  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to 
their  works."' 

The  book  of  life  contains  the  names  of  all  who  have  ever 
entered  the  service  of  God.  Jesus  bade  His  disciples,  "Re- 
»Dan.  7:13,14.  *1  Peter  4:17.  'Kev.  20:12. 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  481 

joice,  because  your  names  are  writteji  in  heaven. ' ' '  Paul 
speaks  of  his  faithful  fellow- workers,  "whose  names  are  in 
the  book  of  life.""  Daniel,  looking  down  to  "a  time  of 
trouble,  such  as  never  was,"  declares  that  God's  people 
shall  be  delivered,  "every  one  that  shall  be  found  written 
in  the  book."  And  the  revelator  says  that  those  only 
shall  enter  the  city  of  God  whose  names  "are  written  in 
the  Lamb 's  book  of  life. ' ' ' 

"A  book  of  remembrance"  is  written  before  God,  in 
which  are  recorded  the  good  deeds  of  "them  that  feared  the 
Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  His  name."*  Their  words  of 
faith,  their  acts  of  love,  are  registered  in  heaven.  Nehemiah 
refers  to  this  when  he  says,  * '  Remember  me,  0  my  God, 
.  .  .  and  wipe  not  out  my  good  deeds  that  I  have  done 
for  the  house  of  my  God. "  °  In  the  book  of  God 's  remem- 
brance every  deed  of  righteousness  is  immortalized.  There 
every  temptation  resisted,  every  evil  overcome,  every  word 
of  tender  pity  expressed,  is  faithfully  chronicled.  And  every 
act  of  sacrifice,  every  suffering  and  sorrow  endured  for 
Clirist's  sake,  is  recorded.  Says  the  psalmist,  "Thou  tellest 
my  wanderings:  put  Thou  my  tears  into  Thy  bottle:  are 
they  not  in  Thy  book?"' 

There  is  a  record  also  of  the  sins  of  men.  "For  God 
shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret 
thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil."  "Every 
idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment."  Said  the  Saviour,  "By 
thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou 
shalt  be  condemned. ' ' '  The  secret  purposes  and  motives 
appear  in  the  unerring  register;  for  God  "will  bring  to 
light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  make  manifest 
the  counsels  of  the  hearts."*  "Behold,  it  is  written  before 
Me,  .  .  .  your  iniquities,  and  the  iniquities  of  your  fathers 
together,   saith  the  Lord."'  ,;)*•,, 

'Luke  10:20.     'Phil.  4:3.     'Dan.  12:1;  Rev.  21:27.     'Mai.  3:16. 
•Neh.  13:14.      'Pa.  ."56:8.     '  Eccl.  12:14;   Matt.  12:36.37. 
•1  Cor.  4:5,  » Isa.  65:6,7. 

le— a.a 


482  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Every  man's  work  passes  in  review  before  God,  and  is 
registered  for  faithfulness  or  unfaithfulness.  Opposite  each 
name  in  the  books  of  heaven  is  entered,  with  terrible  exact- 
ness, every  wrong  word,  every  selfish  act,  every  unfulfilled 
duty,  and  every  secret  sin,  with  every  artful  dissembling. 
Heaven-sent  warnings  or  reproofs  neglected,  wasted  mo- 
ments, unimproved  opportunities,  the  influence  exerted  for 
good  or  for  evil,  with  its  far-reaching  results,  all  are  chron- 
icled by  the  recording  angel. 

The  law  of  God  is  the  standard  by  which  the  characters 
and  the  lives  of  men  will  be  tested  in  the  judgment.  Says 
the  wise  man:  "Fear  God,  and  keep  His  commandments: 
for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall  bring 
every  work  into  judgment."'  The  apostle  James  admon- 
ishes his  brethren,  "So  speak  ye,  and  so  do,  as  they  that 
shall  be  judged  by  the  law  of  liberty."* 

Those  who  in  the  judgment  are  "accounted  worthy,"  will 
have  a  part  in  the  resurrection  of  the  just.  Jesus  said, 
"Tliey  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that 
world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  .  .  .  are  equal 
unto  the  angels;  and  are  the  children  of  God,  being  the 
children  of  the  resurrection. ' '  °  And  again  He  declares  that 
**thex  that  have  done  good"  shall  come  forth  "unto  the 
resurrection  of  life. ' '  *  The  righteous  dead  will  not  be  raised 
until  after  the  judgment  at  which  they  are  accounted 
worthy  of  "the  resurrection  of  life."  Hence  they  will  not 
be  present  in  person  at  the  tribunal  when  their  records  are 
examined  and  their  cases  decided. 

Jesus  will  appear  as  their  advocate,  to  plead  in  their 
behalf  before  God.  "If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate 
with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous, "°  "For  Christ 
is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  which 
are  the  figures  of  the  true;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  ap- 
pear in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."  "Wherefore  He  is  able 
also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by 
Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them."* 

»Eccl.  12:13,14.  ''James  2:12.  »Luke  20:35,36. 

•John  5:29.  "1  John  2:1.  » Heb.  9:24;  7:25. 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  483 

As  the  books  of  record  are  opened  in  the  judgment,  the 
lives  of  all  who  have  believed  on  Jesus  come  in  review  before 
God.  Beginning  with  those  who  first  lived  upon  the  earth, 
our  Advocate  presents  the  cases  of  each  successive  genera- 
tion, and  closes  with  the  living.  Every  name  is  mentioned, 
every  ease  closely  investigated.  Names  are  accepted,  names 
rejected.  When  any  have  sins  remaining  upon  the  books 
of  record,  unrepented  of  and  unforgiven,  their  names  will 
be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  the  record  of  their 
good  deeds  will  be  erased  from  the  book  of  God's  remem- 
brance. The  Lord  declared  to  Moses,  "Whosoever  hatli 
sinned  against  Me,  him  will  I  blot  out  of  My  book. ' ' ' 
And  says  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  "When  the  righteous  turn- 
eth  away  from  his  righteousness,  and  committeth  iniquity, 
.  .  .  all  his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done  shall  not  be 
mentioned. ' '  ^ 

All  who  have  truly  repented  of  sin,  and  by  faith  claimed 
the  blood  of  Christ  as  their  atoning  sacrifice,  have  had 
pardon  entered  against  their  names  in  the  books  of  heaven; 
as  they  have  become  partakers  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  their  characters  are  found  to  be  in  harmony 
with  the  law  of  God,  their  sins  will  be  blotted  out,  and 
they  themselves  will  be  accounted  worthy  of  eternal  life. 
The  Lord  declares,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "I,  even  I,  am 
He  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  Mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins.'"  Said  Jesus :  "He  that 
overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and 
I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life,  but  I 
will  confess  his  name  before  My  Father,  and  before  His 
angels."  "Whosoever  therefore  shall  confess  ]\Ie  before 
men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  My  Father  Avhich  is  in 
heaven.  But  whosoever  shall  d,eny  Me  before  men,  him 
will  I  also  deny  before  I\Iy  Father  which  is  in  heaven. ' '  * 

The  deepest  interest  manifested  among  men  in  the  deci- 
sions of  earthly  tribunals  but  faintly  represents  the  interest 

»Ex.  32:33.  ^^  Eze.  18:24.  « Isa.  43:25. 

*Eev.  3:5;  Matt.  10:32,33. 


484  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

evinced  in  the  heavenly  courts  when  the  names  entered  ii\ 
the  book  of  life  come  up  in  review  before  the  Judge  of 
all  the  earth.  The  divine  Intercessor  presents  the  plea 
that  all  who  have  overcome  through  faith  in  His  blood  be 
forgiven  their  transgressions,  that  they  be  restored  to  their 
Eden  home,  and  crowned  as  joint-heirs  with  Himself  to  the 
' '  first  dominion. ' ' '  Satan,  in  his  eif orts  to  deceive  and  tempt 
our  race,  had  thought  to  frustrate  the  divine  plan  in  man's 
creation ;  but  Christ  now  asks  that  this  plan  be  carried  into 
effect,  as  if  man  had  never  fallen.  He  asks  for  His  people 
not  only  j)ardon  and  justification,  full  and  complete,  but  a 
share  in  His  glory  and  a  seat  upon  His  throne. 
,,.,  While  Jesus  is  pleading  for  the  subjects  of  His  gra.ce, 
Satan  accuses  them  before  God  as  transgressors.  The  great 
deceiver  has  sought  to  lead  them  into  skepticism,  to  cause 
them  to  lose  confidence  in  God,  to  separate  themselves  from 
His  love,  and  to  break  His  law.  Now  he  points  to  the  record 
of  their  lives,  to  the  defects  of  character,  the  unlikeness  to 
Christ,  which  has  dishonored  their  Redeemer,  to  all  the  sins 
that  he  has  tempted  them  to  commit,  and  because  of  these 
he  claims  them  as  his  subjects. 

Jesus  does  not  excuse  their  sins,  but  shows  their  penitence 
and  faith,  and,  claiming  for  them  forgiveness.  He  lifts  His 
wounded  hands  before  the  Father  and  the  holy  angels,  say- 
ing, "I  know  them  by  name.  I  have  graven  them  on  the 
palms  of  INIy  hands.  'The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
spirit:  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  0  God,  Thou  wilt  not 
despise. '  " '  And  to  the  accuser  of  His  people  He  declares, 
"The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  0  Satan;  even  the  Lord  that  hath 
chosen  Jerusalem  rebuke  thee:  is  not  this  a  brand  plucked 
out  of  the  fire?"^  Christ  will  clothe  His  faithful  ones  with 
His  own  righteousness,  that  He  may  present  them  to  His 
Father  "a  glorious  church,  not  ha\nng  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  such  thing."*  Their  names  stand  enrolled  in  the  book 
of  life,  and  concerning  them  it  is  written,  "They  shall  walk 
with  Me  in  white :  for  they  are  worthy. ' '  ° 

^Micah  4:8.  =Ps.  51:17.  '  Zech.  3:2.  *  Eph.  5:27. 

•Rev.  3:4. 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  485 

Thus  will  be  realized  the  complete  fulfilment  of  the  new- 
covenant  promise,  "I  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will 
remember  their  sin  no  more."  "In  those  days,  and  in  that 
time,  saith  the  Lord,  the  iniquity  of  Israel  shall  be  sought 
for,  and  there  shall  be  none;  and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and 
they  shall  not  be  found. ' "  "In  that  day  shall  the  branch 
of  the: Lord  be  beautiful  and  glorious,  and  the  fruit  of  the 
earth  shall  be  excellent  and  comely  for  them  that  are  escaped 
of  Israel.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  he  that  is  left  in 
Zion,  and  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem,  shall  be  called 
holy,  even  every  one  that  is  written  among  the  living  in 
Jerusalem. " '' 

The  work  of  the  investigative  judgment  and  the  blotting 
out  of  sins  is  to  be  accomplished  before  the  second  advent  of 
the  Lord.  Since  the  dead  are  to  be  judged  out  of  the  things 
written  in  the  books,  it  is  impossible  that  the  sins  of  men 
should  be  blotted  out  until  after  the  judgment  at  which  their 
cases  are  to  be  investigated.  But  the  apostle  Peter  distinctly 
states  that  the  sins  of  believers  will  be  blotted  out  "when 
the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord;  and  He  shall  send  Jesus  Christ."^  When  the  investi- 
gative judgment  closes,  Christ  will  come,  and  His  reward  will 
be  with  Him  to  give  to  every  man  as  his  work  shall  be. 

In  the  typical  service  the  high  priest,  having  made  the 
atonement  for  Israel, .  came  forth  and  blessed  the  congrega- 
tion. So  Christ,  at  the  close  of  His  work  as  mediator,  will 
appear,  "without  sin  unto  salvation,"*  to  bless  His  waiting 
people  with  eternal  life.  As  the  priest,  in  removing  the  sins 
from  the  sanctuary,  confessed  them  upon  the  head  of  tlie 
scapegoat,  so  Christ  will  place  all  these  sins  upon  Satan,  the 
originator  and  instigator  of  sin.  The  scapegoat,  bearing 
the  sins  of  Israelj  was  sent  away  "unto  a  land  not  inhab- 
ited;"" so  Satan,  bearing  the  guilt  of  all  the  sins  which  he 
has  caused  God's  people  to  commit,  will  be  for  a  thousand 
years  confined  to  the  earth,  which  will  then  be  desolate,  with- 
out inhabitant,  and  he  will  at  last  suffer  the  full  penalty  of 

'Jer.  31:34;   50:20.  "  Isa.  4:2,3.  'Acts  3:19,20. 

*Heb.  9:28.  "Lev.  16:22. 


486  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

sin  in  the  fires  that  shall  destroy  all  the  wicked.  Thus  the 
great  plan  of  redemption  will  reach  its  accomplishment  in 
the  final  eradication  of  sin,  and  the  deliverance  of  all  who 
have  been  willing  to  renounce  evil. 

At  the  time  appointed  for  the  judgment  —  the  close  of 
the  2300  days,  in  1844  —  began  the  work  of  investigation 
and  blotting  out  of  sins.  All  who  have  ever  taken  upon 
themselves  the  name  of  Christ  must  pass  its  searching  scru- 
tiny. Both  the  living  and  the  dead  are  to  be  judged  "out 
of  those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according 
to  their  works." 

Sins  that  have  not  been  repented  of  and  forsaken  will  not 
be  pardoned,  and  blotted  out  of  the  books  of  record,  but 
will  stand  to  witness  against  the  sinner  in  the  day  of  God. 
He  may  have  committed  his  evil  deeds  in  the  light  of  day  or 
in  the  darkness  of  night;  but  they  were  open  and  manifest 
before  Him  with  whom  we  have  to  do.  Angels  of  God  wit- 
nessed each  sin,  and  registered  it  in  the  unerring  records. 
Sin  may  be  concealed,  denied,  covered  up  from  father, 
mother,  wife,  children,  and  associates;  no  one  but  the 
guilty  actors  may  cherish  the  least  suspicion  of  the  wrong; 
but  it  is  laid  bare  before  the  intelligences  of  heaven. 
The  darkness  of  the  darkest  night,  the  secrecy  of  all  de- 
ceptive arts,  is  not  sufficient  to  veil  one  thought  from  the 
knowledge  of  the  Eternal.  God  has  an  exact  record  of 
every  unjust  account  and  every  unfair  dealing.  He  is  not 
deceived  by  appearances  of  piety.  He  makes  no  mistakes 
in  His  estimation  of  character.  INIen  may  be  deceived  by 
those  who  are  corrupt  in  heart,  but  God  pierces  all  dis- 
guises, and  reads  the  inner  life. 

How  solemn  is  the  thought !  Day  after  day,  passing  into 
eternity,  bears  its  burden  of  records  for  the  books  of  heaven. 
Words  once  spoken,  deeds  once  done,  can  never  be  recalled. 
Angels  have  registered  both  the  good  and  the  evil.  The 
mightiest  conqueror  upon  the  earth  cannot  call  back  the 
record  of  even  a  single  day.  Our  acts,  our  words,  even  our 
most  secret  motives,  all  have  their  weight  in  deciding  our 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  487 

destiny  for  weal  or  woe.  Though  they  may  ])e  forgotten  by 
us,  they  will  bear  their  testimony  to  justify  or  to  condemn. 

As  the  features  of  the  countenance  are  reproduced  with 
unerring  accuracy  on  the  polished  plate  of  the  artist,  so  the 
character  is  faithfully  delineated  in  the  books  above.  Yet 
how  little  solicitude  is  felt  concerning  that  record  which  is 
to  meet  the  gaze  of  heavenly  beings.  Could  the  veil  which 
separates  the  visible  from  the  invisible  world  be  swept  back, 
and  the  children  of  men  behold  an  angel  recording  every 
word  and  deed,  which  they  must  meet  again  in  the  judg- 
ment, how  many  Avords  that  are  daily  uttered  would  remain 
unspoken;  how  many  deeds  would  remain  undone. 

In  the  judgment,  the  use  made  of  every  talent  will  be 
scrutinized.  How  have  we  employed  the  capital  lent  us  of 
Heaven?  Will  the  Lord  at  His  coming  receive  His  own  with 
usury?  Have  we  improved  the  powers  intrusted  us,  in  hand 
and  heart  and  ])rain,  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  blessing  of 
the  world?  How  have  we  used  our  time,  our  pen,  our  voice, 
our  money,  our  influence?  Wliat  have  we  done  for  Christ, 
in  the  person  of  the  poor,  the  afflicted,  the  orphan,  or  the 
widow  ?  God  has  made  us  the  depositaries  of  His  holy  w'ord ; 
what  have  we  done  with  the  light  and  truth  given  us  to 
make  men  wise  unto  salvation?  No  value  is  attached  to  a 
mere  profession  of  faith  in  Christ;  only  the  love  which  is 
shown  by  works  is  counted  genuine.  Yet  it  is  love  alone 
which  in  the  sight  of  Heaven  makes  any  act  of  value, 
Wliatever  is  done  from  love,  however  small  it  may  appear 
in  the  estimation  of  men,  is  accepted  and  rewarded  of  God. 

The  hidden  selfishness  of  men  stands  revealed  in  the 
books  of  heaven.  There  is  the  record  of  unfulfilled  duties 
to  their  fellow-men,  of  forgetfulness  of  the  Saviour's  claims. 
There  they  will  see  how  often  were  given  to  Satan  the  time, 
thought,  and  strength  that  belonged  to  Christ.  Sad  is  the 
record  which  angels  bear  to  heaven.  Intelligent  beings, 
professed  followers  of  Christ,  are  absorbed  in  the  acquire- 
ment of  worldly  possessions  or  the  enjoyment  of  earthly 
pleasures.     Money,  time,  and  strength  are  sacrificed  for  dis- 


488  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY  v\ 

play,  and  self-indulgence;  but  few  are  the  moments  devoted 
to  prayer,  to  the  searching  of  the  Scriptures,  to  humiliation 
of  soul  and  confession  of  sin, 

Satan  invents  unnumbered  schemes  to  occupy  our  minds, 
that  they  may  not  dwell  upon  the  very  work  with  which  we 
ought  to  be  best  acquainted.  The  arch-deceiver  hates  the 
great  truths  that  bring  to  view  an  atoning  sacrifice  and  an 
all-powerful  Mediator.  He  knows  that  with  him  everything 
depends  on  his  diverting  minds  from  Jesus  and  His  truth. 

Those  who  would  share  the  benefits  of  the  Saviour's 
mediation  should  permit  nothing  to  interfere  with  their 
duty  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.  The  precious 
hours,  instead  of  being  given  to  pleasure,  to  display,  or  to 
gain-seeking,  should  be  devoted  to  an  earnest,  prayerful 
study  of  the  Word  of  truth.  The  subject  of  the  sanctuary 
and  the  investigative  judgment  should  be  clearly  under- 
stood by  the  people  of  God.  All  need  a  knowledge  for 
themselves  of  the  position  an(i  work  of  their  great  High 
Priest.  Otherwise,  it  will  be  impossible  for  them  to  exercise 
the  faith  which  is  essential  at  this  time,  or  to  occupy  the 
position  which  God  designs  them  to  fill.  Every  individual 
has  a  soul  to  save  or'  to  lose.  Each  has  a  ease  pending  at 
the  bar  of  God.  Each  must  meet  the  great  Judge  face  to 
face.  How  important,  then,  that  every  mind  contemplate 
often  the  solemn  scene  when  the  judgment  shall  sit  a;nd 
the  books  shall  be  opened,  when,  with  Daniel,  every  indi- 
vidual must  stand  in  his  lot,  at  the  end  of  the  days. 

All  who  have  received  the  light  upon  these  subjects  are 
to  bear  testimony  of  the  great  truths  wliich  God  has  com- 
mitted to  them.  The  sanctuary  in  heaven  is  tlie  very  center 
of  Christ's  work  in  behalf  of  men.  It  concerns  every  soul 
living  upon  the  earth.  It  opens  to  view  the  plan  of  re- 
demption, bringing  us  down  to  the  very  close  of  time,  and 
revealing  the  triumphant  issue  of  the  contest  between  right- 
eousness and  sin.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  all 
should  thoroughly  investigate   these   subjects,   and  be   able 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  489 

to  give  an  answer  to  every  one  that  asketh  them  a  reason 
of  the  hope  that  is  in  tlicm. 

The  intercession  of  Christ  in  man's  behalf  in  the  sanc- 
tuary above  is  as  essential  to  the  plan  of  salvation  as  was  His 
death  upon  the  (?ross.  By  His  death  He  began  that  work 
which  after  His  resurrection  He  ascended  to  complete  in 
heaven.  We  must  by  faith  enter  within  the  veil,  "whither 
the  Forerunner  is  for  us  entered."  *  There  the  light  from  the 
cross  of  Calvary  is  reflected.  There  we  may  gain  a  clearer 
insight  into  the  mysteries  of  redemption.  The  salvation  of 
man  is  accomplished  at  an  infinite  expense  to  heaven;  the 
sacrifice  made  is  equal  to  the  broadest  demands  of  the  broken 
law  of  God.  Jesus  has  opened  the  way  to  the  Father's 
throne,  and  through  His  mediation  the  sincere  desire  of  all 
who  come  to  Him  in  faith  may  be  presented  before   God. 

"He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper:  but  whoso 
confesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy. " "  If  those 
who  hide  and  excuse  their  faults  could  see  how  Satan  exults 
over  them,  how  he  taunts  Christ  and  holy  angels  with  their 
course,  they  would  make  haste  to  confess  their  sins  and  to 
put  them  away.  Through  defects  in  the  character,  Satan 
works  to  gain  control  of  the  whole  mind,  and  he  knows  that 
if  these  defects  are  cherished,  he  will  succeed.  Therefore  he 
is  constantly  seeking  to  deceive  the  followers  of  Christ  with 
his  fatal  sophistry  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  overcome. 
But  Jesus  pleads  in  their  behalf  His  wounded  hands,  His 
bruised  body;  and  He  declares  to  all  who  M'ould  follow  Him, 
"My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.'"  "Take  My  yoke  upon 
you,  and  learn  of  Me;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart: 
and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  ]\Iy  yoke  is  easy, 
and  j\ly  burden  is  light."*  Let  none,  then,  regard  their 
defects  as  incurable.  God  will  give  faith  and  grace  to  over- 
come them. 

We  are  now  living  in  the  great  day  of  atonement.  In  the 
typical  service;  while  the  high  priest  was  making  the  atone- 
ment for  Israel,  all  were  required  to  afflict  their  souls  by 

»Heb.  6:20.       »Prov.  28:13.        «2  Cor.  12:9.        'Matt.  11:29,30. 


490  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

repentance  of  sin  and  humiliation  before  the  Lord,  lest  they 
be  cut  off  from  among  the  people.  In  like  manner,  all  who 
would  have  their  names  retained  in  the  book  of  life,  should 
now,  in  the  few  remaining  days  of  their  probation,  afflict 
their  souls  before  God  by  sorrow  for  sin  and  true  repent- 
ance. There  must  be  deep,  faithful  searching  of  heart.  The 
light,  frivolous  spirit  indulged  by  so  many  professed  Chris- 
tians must  be  put  away.  There  is  earnest  warfare  before  all 
who  would  subdue  the  evil  tendencies  that  strive  for  the  mas- 
tery. The  work  of  preparation  is  an  individual  work.  We 
are  not  saved  in  groups.  The  purity  and  devotion  of  one 
will  not  offset  the  want  of  these  qualities  in  another.  Though 
all  nations  are  to  pass  in  judgment  before  God,  yet  He  will 
examine  the  case  of  each  individual  with  as  close  and  search- 
ing scrutiny  as  if  there  were  not  another  being  upon  the 
earth.  Every  one  must  be  tested,  and  found  without  spot 
or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing. 

Solemn  are  tlie  scenes  connected  with  the  closing  work 
of  the  atonement.  IMomentous  are  the  interests  involved 
therein.  The  judgment  is  now  passing  in  the  sanctuary 
above.  For  many  years  this  work  has  been  in  progress. 
Soon  —  none  know  how  soon  —  it  will  pass  to  the  cases 
of  the  living.  In  the  awful  presence  of  God  our  lives  are 
to  come  up  in  review.  At  this  time  above  all  others  it 
behooves  every  soul  to  heed  the  Saviour's  admonition, 
* '  Watch  and  pray :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  time  is. " ' 
"If  therefore  thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  on  thee 
as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come 
upon  thee."* 

When  the  work  of  the  investigative  judgment  closes,  the 
destiny  of  all  will  have  been  decided  for  life  or  death.  Pro- 
bation is  ended  a  short  time  before  the  appearing  of  the 
Lord  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  Christ  in  the  Revelation, 
looking  forward  to  that  time,  declares:  "He  that  is  unjust, 
let  him  be  unjust  still:  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be 
filthy  still:  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous 
*Mark  13:33.  *Rev.  3:3. 


THE  INVESTIGATIVE  JUDGMENT  491 

Still:  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still.  And,  be- 
hold, I  come  quickly;  and  My  reward  is  with  Me,  to  give 
every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  be. "  * 

The  righteous  and  the  wicked  will  still  be  living  upon  the 
earth  in  their  mortal  state, —  men  will  be  planting  and  build- 
ing, eating  and  drinking,  all  unconscious  that  the  final, 
irrevocable  decision  has  been  pronounced  in  the  sanctuary 
above.  Before  the  flood,  after  Noah  entered  the  ark,  God 
shut  him  in,  and  shut  the  ungodly  out;  but  for  seven  days 
the  people,  knowing  not  that  their  doom  was  fixed,  continued 
their  careless,  pleasure-loving  life,  and  mt)cked  the  warnings 
of  impending  judgment.  "So,"  says  the  Saviour,  "shall 
also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be. " ''  Silently,  unno- 
ticed as  the  midnight  thief,  will  come  the  decisive  hour 
which  marks  the  fixing  of  every  man's  destiny,  the  final 
withdrawal  of  mercy's  offer  to  guilty  men, 

' '  Watch  ye  therefore :  .  .  .  lest  coming  suddenly  lie  find 
you  sleeping."*  Perilous  is  the  condition  of  those  who, 
growing  weary  of  their  watch,  turn  to  the  attractions  of  the 
world.  While  the  man  of  business  is  absorbed  in  the  pur- 
suit of  gain,  while  the  pleasure-lover  is  seeking  indulgence, 
while  the  daughter  of  fashion  is  arranging  her  adorn- 
ments,—  it  may  be  in  that  hour  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
will  pronounce  the  sentence,  "Thou  art  weighed  in  the 
balances,  and  art  found  wanting. ' '  * 
'Kev.  22:11,12.      'Matt.  24:39.       ''Mark  13:35,36.       ^  Dan.  5:27. 


THE  ORIGIN   OF  EWlL-29 

To  MANY  minds,  the  origin  of  sin  and  the  reason  for  its 
existence  are  a  source  of  great  perplexity.  They  see  the 
work  of  evil,  with  its  terrible  results  of  Woe  and  desolation, 
and  they  question  how  all  this  can '  exist  under  the  so^^ 
ereignty  of  One  who  is  infinite  in  wisdom,'  in  power,  and 
in  love.  Here  is  a  mystery,  of  which  they  find  no  explana- 
tion. Arid  in  their  uncertainty  and  doubt,  they  are  blinded 
to  truths  plainly  revealed  in  God's  word,  and  essential  to 
salvation.  There  are  those  who,  in  their  inquiries  concern- 
ing the  existence  of  sin,  endeavor  to  search  into  that  which 
God  has  never  revealed;  hence  they  find  no  solution  of 
their  difficulties;  and  such  as  are  actuated  by  a  disposition 
to  doubt  and  cavil,  seize  upon  this  as  an  excuse  for  rejecting 
the  words  of  Holy  "Writ.  Others,  however,  fail  of  a  satis- 
factory understanding  of  the  great  problem  of  evil,  from  the 
fact  that  tradition  and  misinterpretation  have  obscured  the 
teaching  of  the  Bible  concerning  the  character  of  God, 
the  nature  of  His  government,  and  the  principles  of  His 
dealing  with  sin. 

It  is  impossible  to  explain  the  origin  of  sin  so  as  to  give 
a  reason  for  its  existence.  Yet  enough  may  be  understood 
concerning  both  the  origin  and  the  final  disposition  of  sin, 
to  make  fully  manifest  the  justice  and  benevolence  of  God 
in  all  His  dealings  with  evil.  Nothing  is  more  plainly 
(492) 


THE   ORIGIN  OF  EVIL  498 

taught  in  Scripture  than  that  God  was  in  no  wise  responsible 
for  the  entrance  of  sin;  that  there  was  no  arbitrary  with- 
drawal of  divine  grace,  no  deficiency  in  the  divine  govern- 
ment, that  gave  occasion  for  the  uprising  of  rebellion.  Sin 
is  an  intruder,  for  whose  presence  no  reason  can  be  given. 
It  is  mysterious,  unaccountable;  to  excuse  it,  is  to  defend  it. 
Could  excuse  for  it  be  found,  or  cause  be  shown  for  its  ex- 
istence, it  would  cease  to  be  sin.  Our  only  definition  of  sin 
is  that  given  in  the  word  of  God;  it  is  ''the  transgression 
of  the  law;"  it  is  the  outworking  of  a  principle  at  war  with 
the  great  law  of  love  which  is  the  foundation  of  the  divine 
government.  * 

Before  the  entrance  of  evil,  there  was  peace  and  joy 
throughout  the  universe.  All  was  in  perfect  harmony  with 
the  Creator's  will.  Love  for  God  was  supreme,  love  for  one 
another  impartial.  Christ  the  Word,  the  only  ])egotten  of 
God,  was  one  with  the  eternal  Father, —  one  in  nature,  in 
character,  and  in  purpose, —  the  only  being  in  all  the  uni- 
verse that  could  enter  into  all  the  counsels  and  purposes  of 
God.  By  Christ,  the  Father  wrought  in  the  creation  of  all 
heavenly  beings.  *'By  Him  were  all  things  created,  that  are 
in  heaven,  .  .  .  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or 
principalities,  or  powers ; "  *  and  to  Christ,  equally  with  the 
Father,  all  heaven  gave  allegiance. 

The  law  of  love  being  the  foundation  of  the  government 
of  God,  the  happiness  of  all  created  beings  depended  upon 
their  perfect  accord  with  its  great  principles  of  righteous- 
ness. God  desires  from,  iill  His  creatures  the  service  of 
love,— homage  that  sx)riugs  from  an  intelligei^l-,  apprecia- 
tion of  His  charactegf.  He  takes  no  pleasure  in  a  forced 
allegiance,  and  to  all  He  grants  freedom  of  will,  that  they 
may  render  Him  voluntary  service. 

But  there  was  one  that  chose  to  pervert  this  freedom. 
Sin  originated  with  him  who,  next  to  Christ,  had  been 
most  honored  of  God,  and  who  stood  highest  in  power  and 
glory   among   the   inhabitants   of   heaven.     Before   his   fail, 

»C«L  1:16. 


494  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Lucifer  was  first  of  the  covering  cherubs,  holy  and  undefiled.. 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God:  Thou  sealest  up  the  sum,  full 
of  wisdom,  and  perfect  in  beauty.  Thou  hast  been  in  Eden 
the  garden  of  God;  every  precious  stone  was  thy  covering." 
"Thou  art  the  anointed  cherub  that  covereth;  and  I  have 
set  thee  so :  thou  wast  upon  the  holy  mountain  of  God ;  thou 
hast  walked  up  and  down  in  the  midst  of  the  stones  of  fire. 
Thou  wast  perfect  in  thy  ways  from  the  day  that  thou  wast 
created,  till  iniquity  was  found  in  thee. ' '  * 

Lucifer  might  have  remained  in  favor  with  God,  beloved 
and  honored  by  all  the  angelic  host,  exercising  his  noble 
powers  to  bless  others  and  to  glorify  his  Maker.  But,  says 
the  prophet,  "Thine  heart  was  lifted  up  because  of  thy 
beauty,  thou  hast  corrupted  thy  wisdom  by  reason  of  thy 
brightness."*  Little  by  little,  Lucifer  came  to  indulge  a 
desire  for  self -exaltation.  "Thou  hast  set  thine  heart  as 
the  heart  of  God."  "Thou  hast  said,  ...  I  will  exalt 
my  throne  above  the  stars  of  God:  I  will  sit  also  upon  the 
mount  of  the  congregation.  ...  I  will  ascend  above  the 
heights  of  the  clouds;  I  will  be  like  the  Most  High."* 
Instead  of  seeking  to  make  God  supreme  in  the  affections 
and  allegiance  of  His  creatures,  it  was  Lucifer's  endeavor 
to  win  their  service  and  homage  to  himself.  And  coveting 
the  honor  which  the  infinite  Father  had  bestowed  upon  His 
Son,  this  prince  of  angels  aspired  to  power  which  it  was 
the  prerogative  of  Christ  alone  to  wield. 

All  heaven  had  rejoiced  to  reflect  the  Creator's  glory  and 
to  show  forth  His  praise.  And  while  God  was  thus  honored, 
all  had  been  peace  and  gladness.  But  a^ote  of  discord  now 
marred  the  celestial  harmonies.  The  service  and  exaltation 
of  self,  contrary  to  the  Creator's  plan,  awakened  forebodings 
of  evil  in  minds  to  whom  God's  glory  was  supreme.  The 
heavenly  councils  pleaded  -with.  Lucifer.  The  Son  of  God 
presented  before  him  the  greatness,  the  goodness,  and  the 
justice  of  the  Creator,  and  the  sacred,  unchanging  nature 
of  His  law.  God  Himself  had  established  the  order  of 
»Eze.  28:12-15,17.  *Eze.  28:6;   Isa.  14:13,14. 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  EVIL  495 

heaven;  and  in  departing  from  it,  Lucifer  would  dishonor 
his  Maker,  and  bring  ruin  upon  himself.  But  the  warning, 
given  in  infinite  love  and  mercy,  only  aroused  a  spirit  of 
resistance.  Lucifer  allowed  jealousy  of  Christ  to  prevail, 
and  he  became  the  more  determined. 

Pride  in  his  own  glory  nourished  the  desire  for  suprem- 
acy. The  high  honors  conferred  upon  Lucifer  were  not 
appreciated  as  the  gift  of  God,  and  called  forth  no  grati- 
tude to  the  Creator.  He  gloried  in  his  brightness  and  exal- 
tation, and  aspired  to  be  equal  with  God.  lie  was  beloved 
and  reverenced  by  the  heavenly  host.  Angels  delighted  to 
execute  his  commands,  and  he  was  clothed  with  wisdom  and 
glory  above  them  all.  Yet  the  Son  of  God  was  the  acknowl- 
edged Sovereign  of  heaven,  one  in  power  and  authority  with 
the  Father.  In  all  the  counsels'  of  God,  Christ  was  a  par- 
ticipant, while  Lucifer  was  not  permitted  thus  to  enter  into 
the  divine  purposes.  "Why,"  questioned  this  mighty  angel, 
"should  Christ  have  the  supremacy?  Why  is  He  thus  hon- 
ored above  Lucifer?" 

Leaving   his   place   in    the   immediate_jjresence   of   God,  UxOP^ 
Lucifer  went.,£QrtlL-ta  diffuse  the  spirit-o£-disGontent-among  '-^'^^S 
the  angels.     Working  with  mysterious  secrecy,   and  for  a   ^^0*^ 
time   concealing  his  real  purpose  under  an.  appearance   of  Pi\^^ewj 
reverence  for   God,   he   endeavored  to   excite  dissatisfaction 
concerning   the    laws   that   governed   heavenly   beings,    inti- 
mating that  they  imposed  an  unnecessary  restraint.     Since 
their  natures  were  holy,   he  urged  that  the  angels  should 
obey  the  dictates  of  their  own  will.     He  sought  to  create 
sympathy  for  himself,  by  representing  that  God  had  dealt 
unjustly  with  him  in  bestowing  supreme  honor  upon  Christ. 
He  claimed  that  in  aspiring  to  greater  power  and  honor  he 
was  not  aiming  at  self-exaltation,  but  was  seeking  to  ssecure 
liberty  for  all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven,  that  by  tliis  means 
they  might  attain  to  a   higher  state  of  existence. 

God,  in  His  great  mercy,  bore  long  with  Lucifer.  He  was 
not  immediately  degraded  from  his  exalted  station  when  he 
first  indulged  the  spirit  of  discontent,  nor  even  when  he  be- 


496  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

gan  to  present  his  false  claims  before  the  loyal  angels.  Long 
was  he  retained  in  heaven.  Again  and  again  he  was  offered 
pardon,  on  condition  of  repentance  and  submission.  Such 
efforts  as  only  infinite  love  and  wisdom  could  devise,  were 
made  to  convince  him  of  his  error.  The  spirit  of  discontent 
had  never  before  been  known  in  heaven.  Lucifer  himself 
did  not  at  first  see  whitlier  he  was  drifting;  he  did  not  un- 
derstand the  real  nature  of  his  feelings.  But  as  his  dis- 
satisfaction was  proved  to  be  without  cause,  Lucifer  was 
convinced  that  lie  was  in  the  \\rong,  that  the  divine  claims 
Were  just,  and  that  he  ought  to  acknowledge  them  as  such 
before  all  heaven.  Had  he  done  this,  he  might  have  saved 
himself  and  man^j^ejs.  ITo  had  not  at  this  time  fully 
cast  off  his  allegiance  to  God.  Though  he  had  forsaken 
his  position  as  covering  cherub,  yet  if  he  had  been  willing 
to  return  to  God,  acknowledging  the  Creator's  wisdom,  and 
satisfied  to  fill  the  place  appointed  him  in  God's  great  plan, 
he  would  have  been  re-instated  in  his  office.  But  pride 
forbade  him  to  submit,  fie  persistently  defended  his  own 
course,  maintained  that  he  had  no  need  of  repentance,  and 
fully  committed  himself,  in  the  great  controversy,  against 
his  Maker. 

""  All  the  powers  of  his  master-mind  were  now  bent  to  the 
M'ork  of  deception,  to  secure  the  sympathy  of  the  angels  that 
had  been  under  his  command.  Even  the  fact  that  Christ  had 
warned  and  counseled  him,  was  perverted  to  serve  his  trai- 
torous designs.  To  those  whose  loving  trust  bound  them 
most  closely  to  him,  Satan  had  represented  that  he  was 
Avrongly  judged,  that  his  position  was  not  respected,  and  that 
his  liberty  was  to  be  abridged.  From  misrepresentation  of 
the  words  of  Christ,  he  passed  to  prevarication  and  direct 
falsehood,  accusing  the  Son  of  God  of  a  design  to  humiliate 
him  before  the  inhabitants  of  heaven.  He  sought  also  to 
make  a  false  issue  between  himself  and  the  loyal  angels.  All 
whom  he  could  not  subvert  and  bring  fully  to  his  side,  he 
accused  of  indifference  to  the  interests  of  heavenly  beings. 
The  very  work  which  he   himself   was   doing,   he   charged 


THE   ORIGIN  OF  EVIL  497 

upon  those  who  remained  true  to  God.  And  to  sustain  his 
charge  of  God's  injustice  toward  him,  he  resorted  to  misrep- 
resentation of  the  words  and  acts  of  the  Creator.  It  was  his 
policy  to  perplex  the  angels  with  subtle  arguments  concern- 
ing the  purposes  of  God.  Everything  that  was  simple  h« 
shrouded  in  mystery,  and  by  artful  perversion  cast  doubt 
upon  the  plainest  statements  of  Jehovah.  His  high  position, 
in  such  close  connection  with  the  divine  administration,  gave 
greater  force  to  his  representations,  and  many  were  induced 
to  unite  with  him  in  rebellion  against  Heaven's  authority. 

God  in  His  wisdom  permitted  Satan  to  carry  forward  his 
work,  until  the  spirit  of  disaffection  ripened  into  active 
revolt.  It  was  necessary  for  his  plans  to  be  fully  developed, 
that  their  true  nature  and  tendency  might  be  seen  by  all. 
Lucifer,  as  the  anointed  cherub,  had  been  highly  exalted;  he 
was  greatly  loved  by  the  heavenly  beings,  and  his  influence 
over  them  was  strong.  God's  goverinnent  included  not  only 
the  inhabitants  of  heaven,  but  of  all  the  worlds  that  He  had 
created;  and  Satan  thought  that  if  he  could  carry  the  angels 
of  heaven  with  him  in  rebellion,  he  could  carry  also  the 
other  worlds.  He  had  artfully  presented  his  side  of  the 
question,  employing  sophistry  and  fraud  to  secure  his  ob- 
jects. His  power  to  deceive  was  very  great,  arid  by  dis- 
guising himself  in  a  cloak  of  falsehood  he  had  gained  an 
advantage.  Even  the  loyal  angels  could  not  fully  discern 
his  charactef,  or  see  to  what  his  work  was  leading. 

Satan  had  been  so  highly  honored,  and  all  his  acts  were 
so  clothed  with  mystery,  that  it  was  difficult  to  disclose  to 
the  angels  the  true  nature  of  his  work.  Until  fully  devel- 
oped, sin  would  not  appear  the  evil  thing  it  was.  Hereto- 
fore it  had  had  no  place  in  the  universe  of  God,  and  holy 
beings  had  no  conception  of  its  nature  and  malignity.  They 
could  not  discern  the  terrible  consequences  that  would  result 
from  setting  aside  the  divine  law.  Satan  had,  at  first,  con- 
cealed his  work  under  a  specious  profession  of  loyalty  to 
God.  He  claimed  to  be  seeking  to  promote  the  honor  of 
God,  the  stability  of  His  government,  and  the  good  of  all 


498  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  inhabitants  of  heaven.  While  instilling  discontent  into 
the  minds  of  the  angels  under  him,  he  had  artfully  made  it 
appear  that  he  was  seeking  to  remove  dissatisfaction.  "When 
he  urged  that  changes  be  made  in  the  order  and  laws  of 
God's  government,  it  was  under  the  pretense  that  these  were 
necessary  in  order  to  preserve  harmony  in  heaven. 

In  Ilis  dealing  with  sin,  God  could  employ  only  right- 
eousness and  truth.  Satan  could  use  what  God  could  not  — 
flattery  and  deceit.  He  had  sought  to  falsify  the  word  of 
God,  and  had  misrepresented  His  plan  of  government  before 
the  angels,  claiming  that  God  was  not  just  in  laying  laws 
and  rules  upon  the  inhabitants  of  heaven;  that  in  requiring 
submission  and  obedience  from  His  creatures,  He  was  seek- 
ing iixMcly  the  exaltation  of  Himself.  Therefore  it  must 
be  demonstrated  before  the  inhabitants  of  heaven,  as  well  as 
of  all  the  worlds,  that  God's  government  was  just,  His  law 
perfect.  Satan  had  made  it  appear  that  he  himself  was  seek- 
ing to  promote  the  good  of  the  universe.  The  true  character 
of  the  usurper,  and  his  real  object,  must  be  understood  by  all. 
He  must  have  time  to  manifest  himself  by  his  wicked  works. 

The  discord  which  his  own  course  had  caused  in  heaven, 
Satan  charged  upon  the  law  and  government  of  God.  All 
evil  he  declared  to  be  the  result  of  the  divine  administration. 
He  claimed  that  it  was  his  own  object  to  improve  upon  the 
statutes  of  Jehovah.  Therefore  it  was  necessary  that  he 
should  demonstrate  the  nature  of  his  claims,  and  show  the 
working  out  of  his  proposed  changes  in  the  divine  law.  His 
own  work  must  condemn  him.  Satan  had  claimed  from 
the  first  that  he  was  not  in  rebellion.  The  whole  universe 
must  see  the  deceiver  unmasked. 

Even  when  it  was  decided  that  he  could  no  longer  remain 
in  heaven,  Infinite  Wisdom  did  not  destroy  Satan.  Since 
the  service  of  love  can  alone  be  acceptable  to  God,  the  alle- 
giance of  His  creatures  must  rest  upon  a  conviction  of  His 
justice  and  benevolence.  The  inhabitants  of  heaven  and 
of  other  worlds,  being  unprepared  to  comprehend  the  nature 
or  consequences  of  sin,  could  not  then  have  seen  the  justice 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  EVIL  499 

and  mercy  of  God  in  the  destruction  of  Satan.  Had  he  been 
immediately  blotted  from  existence,  they  would  have  served 
God  from  fear,  rather  than  from  love.  The  influence  of  the 
deceiver  would  not  have  been  fully  destroyed,  nor  would  the 
spirit  of  rebellion  have  been  utterly  eradicated.  Evil  must 
be  permitted  to  come  to  maturity.  For  the  good  of  the 
entire  universe  through  ceaseless  ages,  Satan  must  more 
fully  develop  his  principles,  that  his  charges  against  the 
divine  government  might  be  seen  in  their  true  light  by  all 
created  beings,  that  the  justice  and  mercy  of  God  and  the 
immutability  of  His  law  might  forever  be  placed  beyond  all 
question. 

Satan's  rebellion  was  to  be  a  lesson  to  the  universe 
through  all  coming  ages,  a  perpetual  testimony  to  the 
nature  and  terrible  results  of  sin.  The  working  out  of 
Satan's  rule,  its  effects  upon  both  men  and  angels,  would 
show  what  must  be  the  fruit  of  setting  aside  the  divine 
authority.  It  would  testify  that  with  the  existence  of  God's 
government  and  His  law  is  bound  up  the  well-being  of  all 
the  creatures  He  has  made.  Thus  the  history  of  this  ter- 
rible experiment  of  rebellion  was  to  be  a  perpetual  safe- 
guard to  all  holy  intelligences,  to  prevent  them  from  being 
deceived  as  to  the  nature  of  transgression,  to  save  them 
from  committing  sin  and  suffering  its  punishment. 

To  the  very  close  of  the  controversy  in  heaven,  the  great 
usurper  continued  to  justify  himself.  When  it  was  an- 
nounced that  with  all  his  sympathizers  he  must  be  expelled 
from  the  abodes  of  bliss,  then  the  rebel  leader  boldly  avowed 
his  contempt  for  the  Creator's  law.  He  reiterated  his  claim 
that  angels  needed  no  control,  but  should  be  left  to  follow 
their  own  mil,  which  would  ever  guide  them  right.  He 
denounced  the  divine  statutes  as  a  restriction  of  their  liberty, 
and  declared  that  it  was  his  purpose  to  secure  the  abolition  of 
law;  that,  freed  from  this  restraint,  the  hosts  of  heaven  might 
enter  upon  a  more  exalted,  more  glorious  state  of  existence. 

With  one  accord,  Satan  and  his  host  threw  the  blame  of 
their  rebellion  wholly  upon  Christ,   declaring  that  if  they 


500  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

had  not  been  reproved,  they  would  never  have  rebelled. 
Thus  stubborn  and  defiant  in  their  disloyalty,  seeking  vainly 
to  overthrow  the  government  of  God,  yet  blasphemously 
claiming  to  be  themselves  the  innocent  victims  of  oppressive 
power,  the  arch-rebel  and  all  his  sympathizers  were  at  last 
banished  from  heaven. 

The  same  spirit  that  prompted  rebellion  in  heaven,  still 
inspires  rebellion  on  earth.  Satan  has  continued  with  men 
the  same  policy  which  lie  pursued  with  the  angels.  His 
spirit  now  reigns  in  the  children  of  disobedience.  Like  him 
they  seek  to  break  down  the  restraints  of  the  law  of  God, 
and  promise  men  liberty  through  transgression  of  its  pre- 
cepts. Reproof  of  sin  still  arouses  the  spirit  of  hatred  and 
resistance.  When  God's  messuLns  of  warning  are  brought 
home  to  the  conscience,  Satan  leads  men  to  justify  them- 
selves, and  to  seek  the  sympathy  of  others  in  their  course 
of  sin.  Instead  of  correcting  their  errors,  tliey  excite  indig- 
nation against  the  reprover,  as  if  he  were  the  sole  cause  of 
difficulty.  From  the  days  of  righteous  Abel  to  our  own 
time,  such  is  the  spirit  which  has  been  displayed  toward 
those  who  dare  to  condemn  sin. 

By  the  same  misrepresentation  of  the  character  of  God 
as  he  had  practised  in  heaven,  causing  Him  to  be  regarded 
as  severe  and  tyrannical,  Satan  induced  man  to  sin.  And 
having  succeeded  thus  far,  he  declared  that  God's  unjust 
restrictions  had  led  to  man's  fall,  as  they  had  led  to  his 
own  rebellion. 

But  the  Paternal  One  Himself  proclaims  His  character: 
"The  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and 
abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thou- 
sands, forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin,  and 
that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. " ' 

In  the  banishment  of  Satan  from  heaven,  God  declared 
His  justice,  and  maintained  the  honor  of  His  throne.  But 
when  man  had  sinned  through  yielding  to  the  deceptions 
of  this  apostate  spirit,  God  gave  an  evidence  of  His  love  by 
yielding  up  His  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for  the  faUen  race. 

»Ex.  34:6,7. 


THE   ORIGIN   OF  EVIL  501 

In  the  atonement  the  character  of  God  is  revealed.  The 
mighty  argument  of  the  cross  demonstrates  to  the  whole 
universe  that  the  course  of  sin  which  Lucifer  had  chosen 
was  in  no   wise  chargeable   upon   the   government   of   God. 

In  the  contest  between  Christ  and  Satan,  during  the  Sa- 
viour's earthly  ministry,  the  character  of  the  great  deceiver 
was  unmasked.  Nothing  could  so  effectually  have  uprooted 
Satan  from  the  affections  of  the  heavenly  angels  and  the 
whole  loyal  universe,  as  did  his  cruel  warfare  upon  the 
world's  Kedeemer.  The  daring  blasphemy  of  his  demand 
that  Christ  should  pay  him  homage,  his  presumptuous  bold- 
ness in  bearing  Him  to  the  mountain  summit  and  the  pin- 
nacle of  the  temple,  the  malicious  intent  betrayed  in  urging 
Him  to  cast  Himself  down  from  the  dizzy  height,  the  un- 
sleeping malice  that  hunted  Ilim  from  place  to  place,  inspir- 
ing the  hearts  of  priests  and  people  to  reject  His  love,  and 
at  the  last  to  cry,  "Crucify  Him!  crucify  Ilim!"— all  this 
excited  the  amazement  and  indignation  of  the  universe. 

It  was  Satan  that  prompted  the  world's  rejection  of 
Christ.  The  prince  of  evil  exerted  all  his  power  and  cun- 
ning to  destroy  Jesus;  for  he  saw  that  the  Saviour's  mercy 
and  love,  His  compassion  and  pitying  tenderness,  were  repre- 
senting to  the  Avorld  the  character  of  God.  Satan  contested 
every  claim  put  forth  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  employed  men 
as  his  agents  to  fill  the  Saviour's  life  with  suffering  and 
sorrow.  The  sophistry  and  falsehood  by  which  he  had 
sought  to  hinder  the  work  of  Jesus,  the  hatred  manifested 
through  the  children  of  disobedience,  his  cruel  accusations 
against  Him  whose  life  was  one  of  unexampled  goodness,  all 
sprung  from  deep-seated  revenge.  The  pent-up  fires  of  envy 
and  malice,  hatred  and  revenge,  burst  forth  on  Calvary 
against  the  Son  of  God,  while  all  heaven  gazed  upon  the 
scene  in  silent  horror. 

When  the  great  sacrifice  had  been  consummated,  Christ 
ascended  on  high,  refusing  the  adoration  of  angels  until  He 
had  presented  the  request,  "I  will  that  they  also,  whom 
Thou  hast  given  Ale,  be  with  Me  where  I  am."'     Then  with 

'John  17:24. 


502  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

inexpressible  love  and  power  came  forth  the  answer  from 
the  Father's  throne,  "Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 
Him. ' '  ^  Not  a  stain  rested  upon  Jesus.  His  humiliation 
ended,  His  sacrifice  completed,  there  was  given  unto  Him 
a  name  that  is  above  every  name. 

Now  tlie  guilt  of  Satan  stood  forth  without  excuse.  He 
hacL  revealed  his  true  character  as  a  liar  and  a  murderer. 
It  was  seen  that  the  very  same  spirit  with  which  he  ruled 
the  children  of  men,  who  were  under  his  power,  he  would 
have  manifested  had  he  been  permitted  to  control  the  in- 
habitants of  heaven.  He  had  claimed  that  the  transgression 
of  God's  law  would  bring  lil)erty  and  exaltation;  but  it  was 
seen  to  result  in  bondage  and  degradation. 

Satan's  lying  charges  against  the  divine  character  and 
government  appeared  in  their  true  light.  He  had  accused 
God  of  seeking  merely  the  exaltation  of  Himself  in  requiring 
submission  and  obedience  from  His  creatures,  and  had  de- 
clared that  while  the  Creator  exacted  self-denial  from  all 
others.  He  Himself  practised  no  self-denial  and  made  no 
sacrifice.  Now  it  was  seen  that  for  the  salvation  of  a  fallen 
and  sinful  race,  the  Ruler  of  the  universe  had  made  the 
greatest  sacrifice  which  love  could  make;  for  "God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself."'  It  was  seen, 
also,  that  while  Lucifer  had  opened  the  door  for  the  entrance 
of  sin,  by  his  desire  for  honor  and  su])remacy,  Christ  had, 
in  cfder  to  destroy  sin.  humbled  Himself,  and  become  obe- 
dient  unto  death.       ■■.    ■      .1     <•  ,'\^>/r  -ni;  ■'■■luiifi  ^^ 

God  had  manifested  His  abhorrence  of  the  principles  of 
rebellion.  All  heaven  saw  His  justice  revealed,  both  in  the 
condemnation  of  Satan  and  in  the  redemption  of  man. 
Lucifer  had  declared  that  if  the  law  of  God  was  changelesr:. 
and  its  penalty  could  not  be  remitted,  every  transgressor 
must  be  forever  debarred  from  the  Creator's  favor.  He  had 
claimed  that  the  sinful  race  were  placed  beyond  redemption, 
and  were  therefore  his  rightful  prey.  But  the  death  cf 
Christ  was  an  argument  in  man's  behalf  that  could  not  be 
iijt/,    LtHeb.  1:6.  '2  Cor.  5:19. 


THE  ORTGIN  OF  EVIL  503 

overthrown.  The  penalty  of  the  law  fell  upon  Him  who 
was  equal  with  God,  and  man  was  free  to  accept  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  by  a  life  of  penitence  and  humilia- 
tion to  triumph,  as  the  Son  of  God  had  triumphed,  over  the 
power  of  Satan.  Thus  God  is  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of 
all  who  believe  in  Jesus. 

But  it  was  not  merely  to  accomplish  the  redemption  of 
man  that  Christ  came  to  the  earth  to  suffer  and  to  die.  He 
came  to  "magnify  the  law"  and  to  ''make  it  honorable." 
Not  alone  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  world  might  regard 
the  law  as  it  should  be  regarded;  but  it  was  to  demonstrate 
to  all  the  worlds  of  the  universe  that  God's  law  is  unchange- 
able. Could  its  claims  have  been  set  aside,  then  the  Son  of 
God  need  not  have  yielded  up  His  life  to  atone  for  its  trans- 
gression. The  death  of  Christ  proves  it  immutable.  And 
the  sacrifice  to  which  infinite  love  impelled  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  that  sinners  might  be  redeemed,  demonstrates  to 
all  the  universe  —  what  nothing  less  than  this  plan  of  atone- 
ment could  have  sufficed  to  do  —  that  justice  and  mercy  are 
the  foundation  of  the  law  and  government  of  God. 

In  the  final  execution  of  the  judgment  it  will  be  seen  that 
no  cause  for  sin  exists.  When  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
shall  demand  of  Satan,  "Why  hast  thou  rebelled  against 
Me,  and  robbed  Me  of  the  subjects  of  My  kingdom?"  the 
originator  of  evil  can  render  no  excuse.  Every  mouth  will 
be  stopped,  and  all  the  hosts  of  rebellion  will  be  speechless. 

The  cross  of  Calvary,  while  it  declares  the  law  immu- 
table, proclaims  to  the  universe  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death. 
In  the  Saviour's  expiring  cry,  "It  is  finished,"  the  death- 
knell  of  Satan  was  rung.  The  great  controversy  which  had 
been  so  long  in  progress  was  then  decided,  and  the  final 
eradication  of  evil  was  made  certain.  The  Son  of  God 
passed  through  the  portals  of  the  tomb,  that  "through  death 
He  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
is,  the  devil.'"  Lucifer's  desire  for  self -exaltation  had  led 
him   to   say,   "I   will    exalt   my   throne   above   the   stars   of 

'Heb.  2:14. 


504  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

God:  „  .  .  I  will  be  like  the  Most  High."  God  declares, 
"I  will  bring  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  earth,  .  .  .  and  never 
shalt  thou  be  any  more."*  When  "the  day  cometh,  that 
shall  burn  as  an  oven,  ...  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all 
that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble:  and  the  day  that  cometh 
shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall 
leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch. ' '  ^ 

The  whole  universe  will  have  become  witnesses  to  the 
nature  and  results  of  sin.  And  its  utter  extermination, 
which  in  the  beginning  would  have  brought  fear  to  angels 
and  dishonor  to  God,  will  now  vindicate  His  love  and  es- 
tablish His  honor  before  the  universe  of  beings  who  delight 
to  do  His  will,  and  in  whose  heart  is  His  law.  Never  will 
evil  again  be  manifest.  Says  the  word  of  God,  "Affliction 
shall  not  rise  up  the  second  time."'  The  law  of  God, 
which  Satan  has  reproached  as  the  yoke  of  bondage,  will 
be  honored  as  the  law  of  liberty.  A  tested  and  proved 
creation  \vill  never  again  be  turned  from  allegiance  to 
Him  whose  character  has  been  fully  manifested  before  them 
as  fathomless  love  and  infinite  wusdom. 

'Isa.  14:13,  14;  Eze.  28:18,  19.  'Mai.  4:1,  «Nahum  1:9. 


ENMITY  BETWEEN    MAN   AND  SATAN-30     '^- 

;.> 
"I  WILL  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and 
between  thy  seed  and  her  seed;  it  shall  bruise  thy  head, 
and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."'  The  divine  sentence  pro- 
nounced against  Satan  after  the  fall  of  man,  was  also  a 
prophecy,  embracing  all  the  ages  to  the  close  of  time,  and 
foreshadowing  the  great  conflict  to  engage  all  the  races  of 
men  who  should  live  upon  tlie  earth. 

God  declares,  "I  will  put  enmity."  This  enmity  is  not 
naturally  entertained.  When  man  transgressed  the  divine 
law,  his  nature  became  evil,  and  he  was  in  harmony,  and 
not  at  variance,  with  Satan.  There  exists  naturally  no 
enmity  between  sinful  man  and  the  originator  of  sin.  Both 
became  evil  through  apostasy.  The  apostate  is  never  at 
rest,  except  as  he  obtains  sympathy  and  support  by  inducing 
others  to  follow  his  example.  For  this  reason,  fallen,  angels 
and  wicked  men  unite  in  desperate  companionship.  Had 
not  God  specially  inl^rposed,  Satan  and  man  would  have 
entered  into  an  alliance  against  Heaven;  and  instead  of 
cherishing  enmity  against  Satan,  the  whole  human  family 
would  have  been  united  in  opposition  to  God. 

*  SfttajOL^tewpted  man.  to  sin,  as  he  had  caused  angels  to 
rebel,  that  he  might  thus  secure  co-operation  in  his  warfare 
against  Heaven.     There  was  jgo  dissensiao— between—Mmaaff 

and  the  f8|)en  angpfs  afi  T-Ptyai»rls  thp^r  hatr^fl   nj'  ^linUt  '   "'^"^° 

^Gen.  3:15.  ^ 

(505) 


506  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

d^al^therpointsther^wgigj^y^gj^^  they  were  firmly  united 
in  opposing  the  authority  of  the  Ruler  of  the  universe.  But 
when  Satan  heard  the  declaration  that  enmity  should  exist 
between  himself  and  the  woman,  and  between  his  seed  and 
her  seed,  he  knew  that  his  efforts  to  deprave  human  nature 
would  be  interrupted;  that  by  some  means  man  was  to  be 
enabled  to  resist  his  power. 

Sg,Jg4j^^,,^jjjjyjy^affain^^he^^  be- 

cause, through  Christ,  ^|jjgj,gaj^^|j^jjjj>jggjjjjj^  God's  love  and 
mercy.  He  desires  to  thM^art  the  divine  plan  for  man's  re- 
demption, to  cast  dishonor  upon  God,  by  defacing  and  de- 
filing His  handiwork;  he  would  cause  grief  in  heaven,  and 
fill  the  earth  with  woe  and  desolation.  And  he  points  to  all 
this  evil  as  the  result  of  God's  work  in  creating  man.     - 

Itisth^ijgg^gl^Jj^J^jyiyjgy^jm^ 
..creat£S_u^aa];^,efl]ait^__agaiD  Satan.  Without  this  eon- 
verting  grace  and  renewing  power,  man  would  continue  the 
captive  of  Satan,  a  servant  ever  ready  to  do  his  bidding. 
But  the  new  principle  in  the  soul  creates  conflict  where 
hitherto  had  been  peace.  The  power  which  Christ  imparts, 
enables  man  to  resist  the  tyrant  and  usurper.  Whoever  is 
seen  to  abhor  sin  instead  of  loving  it,  whoever  resists  and 
conquers  those  passions  that  have  held  sway  within,  displays 
the  operation  of  a  principle  wholly  from  above. 

The  antagonism  that  exists  between  the  spirit  of  Christ 
and  the  spirit  of  Satan  was  most  strikingly  displayed  in  the 
world's  reception  of  Jesus.  It  was  not  so  much  because  He 
appeared  without  worldly  wealth,  poftip,  or  grandeur,  that 
the  Jews  were  led  to  reject  Him.  They  saw  that  He  pos- 
sessed power  which  would  more  than  compensate  for  the 
lack  of  these  outward  advantages.  But  the  purity  and  holi- 
ness of  _Q]irist  called  forthagaffl^l■,P^nj  thfi  i.li'nil^rPfl  pf  i?^'' 
Tmgodly.  His  life  of  self  denial  and  sinless  devotion  was  a 
perpetual  reproof  to  a  proud,  sensual  people.  It  was  this 
that  evoked  enmity  against  the  Son  of  God.  Sg.tan  find 
^vil  angels_join£d-with  eyJLia^fl.  All  the  energies  of  apos- 
tasy conspired  against  the  Champion  of  truth. 


ENMITY  BETWEEN  MAN  AND  SATAN  507 

The  same  enmity  is  manifested  toward  Christ's  followers 
as  was  manifested  toward  their  Master.  Whoever  sees  the 
repulsive  character  of  sin,  and  in  strength  from  above  re- 
sists temptation,  will  assuredly  arouse  the  wrath  of  Satan 
and  his  subjects.  Hatred  of  the  pure  principles  of  truth, 
and  reproach  and  persecution  of  its  advocates,  will  exist  as 
long  as  sin  and  sinners  remain.  The  followers  of  Christ 
and  the  servants  of  Satan  cannot  harmonize.  The  offense 
of  the  cross  has  not  ceased.  "All  that  will  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution.'" 

Satan's  agents  are  constantly  working  under  his  direction 
to  establish  his  authority  and  build  up  his  kingdom  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  government  of  God.  To  this  end  they  seek  to 
deceive  Christ's  followers,  and  allure  them  from  their  alle- 
giance. Like  their  leader,  they  misconstrue  and  pervert 
the  Scriptures  to  accomplish  their  object.  As  Satan  en- 
deatiYored  to  cast  reproach  upon  God,  so  do  his  agents  seek 
to  malign  God's  people.  The  spirit  which  put  Christ  to 
death  moves  the  wicked  to  destroy  His  followers.  All  this 
is  foreshadowed  in  that  first  prophecy,  "I  will  put  enmity 
between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her 
seed."     And  this  will  continue  to  the  close  of  time. 

Satan  summons  all  his  forces,  and  throws  his  whole  power 
into  the  combat.  Why  is  it  that  he  meets  with  no  greater 
resistance?  Why  are  the  soldiers  of  Christ  so  sleepy  and 
indifferent?  Because  they  have  so  little  real  connection 
with  Christ;  because  they  are  so  destitute  of  His  Spirit,  ^in 
is  nottoth^jg^jj^jj^jj^jj^^^ij^j^^ 

JMSSferTl'hey  do  not  meet  it,  as  did  Christ,  with  decisive 
and^etermined  resistaat'e.  They  do jyQjjjBaliifc«til&^Sfieed- 
ir\g  evil  and  malignity  of  sin,  andJJtiey;  axe  blinded  both,  to 
the  character  and  th.c  pnwor  nf  i\^f^  ^^v\,^,.a  of  d^LcJaie§s. 
There  is  little  enmity  against  Satan  and  his  works,  because 
there  is  so  great  ignornnco  forif^rrning  his  power  and  malicf, 
and  the  vast  extent  (jf  liis  wjirriii'c  ;i,ir;iinsi  Christ  and  His 
church.  Multitudes  are  deluded  here.  They  do  not  know 
that  their  enemy  is  a  mighty  general,  Avho  controls  the 
'2   Tim.   3:12. 


508  'W  \THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

minds  of  evil  angels,  and  that  with  well-matured  plans  and 
skilful  movements  he  is  warring  against  Christ  to  prevent 
the  salvation  of  souls.  Among  professed  Christians,  and 
even  among  ministers  of  the  gospel,  there  is  heard  scarcely 
a  reference  to  Satan,  except  perhaps  an  incidental  mention 
in  the  pulpit.  They  overlook  the  evidences  of  his  continual 
activity  and  success;  they  neglect  the  many  warnings  of  his 
subtlety;  they  seem  to  ignore  his  very  existence.  hai; 

While  men  are  ignorant  of  his  devices,  this  vigilant  foe 
is  upon  their  track  every  moment.  He  is  intruding  his 
presence  in  every  department  of  the  household,  in  every 
street  of  our  cities,  in  the  churches,  in  the  national  coun- 
cils, in  the  courts  of  justice,  perplexing,  deceiving,  seducing, 
everywhere  ruining  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  women, 
and  children,  breaking  up  families,  sowing  hatred,  emula- 
tion, strife,  sedition,  murder.  And  the  Christian  world  seem 
to  regard  these  things  as  though  God  had^A&BQUlifidJilienij 

Satan  is  continually  seeking  to  overcome  the  people  of 
God  by  breaking  down  the  barriers  which  separate  them 
from  the  world.  Ancient  Israel  were  enticed  into  sin  when 
they  ventured  into  forbidden  association  with  the  heathen. 
In  a  similar  manner  are  modern  Israel  led  astray.  "The 
god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which 
believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ, 
who  1?  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them."*  All 
who  are  not  decided  followers  of  Christ  are  servants  of 
Satan.  In  the  unregenerate  heart  there  is  love  of  sin,  and 
a  disposition  to  cherish  and  excuse  it.  In  the  renewed  heart 
there^.is  hatred  of  sin,,  and  determi^^^  resistance  against  jt. 
Wlien  Christians  choose  the  society  of  the  ungodly  and 
unbelieving,  they  expose  themselves  to  temptation.  Satan 
conceals  himself  from  view,  and  stealthily  draws  his  decep- 
tive covering  over  their  eyes.  They  cannot  see  that  such 
company  is  calculated  to  do  them  harm;  and  while  all  the 
time  assimilating  to  the  world  in  character,  words,  and 
actions,  they  are  becoming  more  and  more  blinded.        ,>iii 

*2   Cor.  4:4. 


ENMITY  BETWEEN  MAN  AND  SATAN  509 

Conformity  to  worldly  customs  converts  the  church  to 
the  world;  it  never  converts  the  world  to  Christ.  Famil- 
iarity with  sin  will  ine\dtably  cause  it  to  appear  less  repul- 
sive. He  who  chooses  to  associate  with  the  servants  of 
Satan,  will  soon  cease  to  fear  their  master.  When  in  the 
way  of  duty  we  are  brought  into  trial,  as  was  Daniel  in 
the  king's  court,  we  may  be  sure  that  God  will  protect  us; 
but  if  we  place  ourselves  under  temptation,  we  shall  fall 
sooner  or  later. 

The  tempter  often  works  most  successfully  through  those 
who  are  least  suspected  of  being  under  his  control.  The 
possessors  of  talent  and  education  are  admired  and  honored, 
as  if  these  qualities  could  atone  for  the  absence  of  the  fear 
of  God,  or  entitle  men  to  His  favor.  Talent  and  culture, 
considered  in  themselves,  are  gifts  of  God;  but  when  these 
are  made  to  supply  the  place  of  piety,  when,  instead  of 
bringing  the  soul  nearer  to  God,  they  lead  away  from  Him, 
then  they  become  a  curse  and  a  snare.  The  opinion  prevails 
with  many  that  all  which  appears  like  courtesy  or  re- 
finement must,  in  some  sense,  pertain  to  Christ.  Never 
was  there  a  greater  mistake.  These  qualities  should  grace 
the  character  of  every  Christian,  for  they  would  exert  a 
powerful  influence  in  favor  of  true  religion;  but  they  must 
be  consecrated  to  God,  or  they  also  are  a  power  for  evil. 
Many  a  man  of  cultured  intellect  and  pleasant  manners,  who 
would  not  stoop  to  what  is  commonly  regarded  as  an  im- 
moral act,  is  but  a  polished  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Satan. 
The  insidious,  deceptive  character  of  his  influence  and  ex- 
ample renders  him  a  more  dangerous  enemy  to  the  cause  of 
Christ  than  are  those  who  are  ignorant  and  uncultured. 

By  earnest  prayer  and  dependence  upon  God,  Solomon 
obtained  the  wisdom  which  excited  the  wonder  and  ad- 
miration of  the  world.  But  when  he  turned  from '  the 
Source  of  his  strength,  and  went  forward  relying  upon  him- 
self, he  fell  a  prey  to  temptation.  Then  the  marvelous 
powers  besto^£^_on  this_vvisest  of  kings,  only  rendered  him 
a  more  effectiye_agent_of_the_adversary;  of  souls. 


510  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

While  Satan  is  constantly  seeking  to  blind  their  minds 
to  the  fact,  let  Christians  never  forget  that  they  ''wrestle 
not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities, 
against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this 
world,  against  wicked  spirits  in  high  places. ' '  *  The  in- 
spired warning  is  sounding  down  the  centuries  to  our  time : 
"Be  sober,  be  vigilant;  because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as 
a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour."* "Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may 
be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil. ' '  * 
'  •)  iFrom  the  days  of  Adam  to  our  own  time,  our  great 
enemy  has  been  exercising  his  power  to  oppress  and  destroy. 
He  is  now  preparing  for  his  last  campaign  against  the 
church.  All  who  seek  to  follow  Jesus  will  be  brought  into 
conflict  with  this  relentless  foe.  The  more  nearly  the 
Christian  imitates  the  divine  Pattern,  the  more  surely  will 
he  make  himself  a  mark  for  the  attacks  of  Satan.  All  who 
are  actively  engaged  in  the  cause  of  God,  seeking  to  unveil 
the  deceptions  of  the  evil  one  and  to  present  Christ  before 
the  people,  \\\\\  be  able  to  join  in  the  testimony  of  Paul,  in 
which  he  speaks  of  serving  the  Lord  Avith  all  humility  of 
mind,  with  many  tears  and  temptations. 

Satan  assailed  Christ  with  his  fiercest  and  most  subtle 
temptations;  but  he  was  repulsed  in  every  conflict.  Those 
battles  were  fought  in  our  behalf;  those  victories  make  it 
possible  for  us  to  conquer.  Christ  will  give  strength  to  all 
who  seek  it.  No  man  without  his  own  consent  can  be  over- 
come by  Satan.  The  tempter  has  no  power  to  control  the 
will  or  to  force  the  soul  to  sin.  He  may  distress,  but  he 
cannot  contaminate.  He  can  cause  agony,  but  not  defile- 
ment. The  fact  that  Christ  has  conquered  should  inspire 
T^TJg  fnllf^^^ya  with  nmirflprp  to  fight  manfully  the  battle 
agamsj,  sin  and   Satan. 

'Eph.  6:12  (margin).  »1  Peter  5:8.  •  Eph.  6:11. 


■HNll^ 


AGENCY  OF  EUIL  6PIR1TS-31 

The  connection  of  the  visible  wdth  the  invisible  world, 
the  ministration  of  angels  of  God,  and  the  agency  of  evil 
spirits,  are  plainly  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  and  insepa- 
rably interwoven  with  human  history.  There  is  a  growing 
tendency  to  disbelief  in  the  existence  of  evil  spirits,  while  the 
holy  ^mgels  that  "minister  fQx_.them.wiiQ  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation,"^  are  regarded  by  many  as  the  spirits  of  the  dead. 
But  the  Scriptures  not  only  teach  the  existence  of  angels, 
both  good  and  evil,  but  present  unquestionable  proof  that 
these  are  not  the  disembodied  spirits  of  dead  men. 

Before  the  creation  of  man,  angels  were  in  existence;  for 
when  the  foundations  of  the  earth  were  laid,  "the  morning 
stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for 
joy.''*  After  the  fall  of  man,  angels  were  sent  to  guard  the 
tree  of  life,  and  this  before  a  human  being  had  died.  Angels 
are  in  nature  superior  to  men;  for  the  psalmist  says  that 
man  was  made  *  *  a  little  lower  than  the  angelfe. ' '  ^ 

We  are  informed  in  Scripture  as  to  the  number,  and  the 
I)Ower  and  glory,  of  the  heavenly  beings,  of  tlieir  connection 
with  the  government  of  God,  and  also  of  their  relation  to 
the  work  of  redemption.  "The  Lord  hath  jjrepared  His 
throne  in  the  heavens;  and  His  kingdom  ruleth  over  all." 
And,  says  the  prophet,  "I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the  throne."     In  the  presence-chamber  of  the 

»Heb.   1:14.  »Job  38:7.  "Ps.   8:5. 

(511) 


512  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

King  of  kings  they  wait — "angels,  that  excel  in  strength," 
"ministers  of  His,  that  do  His  pleasure,"  "hearkening  unto 
the  voice  of  His  word,"'  Ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
and  thousands  of  thousands,  were  the  heavenly  messengers 
beheld  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  The  apostle  Paul  declared 
them  ' '  an  innumerable  company. "  ^  As  God 's  messengers 
they  go  forth,  like  ' '  the  appearance  of  a  flash  of  lightning, ' '  ^ 
so  dazzling  their  glory,  and  so  swift  their  flight.  The  angel 
that  appeared  at  tlie  Saviour's  tomb,  his  countenance  "like 
lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow,"  caused  the  keep- 
ers for  fear  of  him  to  quake,  and  they  '^' became  as  dead 
men."*  When  Sennacherib,  the  haughty  Assyrian,  re- 
proached and  blasphemed  God,  and  threatened  Israel  with 
destruction,  "it  came  to  pass  that  night,  that  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  went  out,  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  tlie  Assyrians 
an  hundred  fourscore  and  five  thousand."  There  were 
"cut  off  all  the  mighty  men  of  valor,  and  the  leaders  and 
captains,"  from  the  army  of  Sennacherib.  "So  he  returned 
with  shame  of  face  to  his  o^^^l  land."* 

Angels  are  sent  on  missions  of  mercy  to  the  children  of 
God.  To  Abraham,  with  promises  of  blessing;  to  the  gates 
of  Sodom,  to  rescue  righteous  Lot  from  its  fiery  doom;  to 
Elijah,  as  he  was  about  to  perish  from  weariness  and  hun- 
ger in  the  desert ;  to  Elisha,  with  chariots  and  horses  of 
fire  surrounding  the  little  town  where  he  was  shut  in  by 
his  foes;  to  Daniel,  while  seeking  divine  wisdom  in  the 
court  of  a  heathen  king,  or  abandoned  to  become  the  lions' 
prey;  to  Peter,  doomed  to  death  in  , Herod's  dungeon;  to 
the  prisoners  at  Philippi ;  to  Paul  and  his  companions  in  the 
night  of  tempest  on  the  sea;  to  open  the  mind  of  Cornelius 
to  receive  the  gospel ;  to  dispatch  Peter  with  the  message  of 
salvation  to  the  Gentile  stranger, —  thus  holy  angels  .have, 
in  all  ages,  ministered  to  God's  people.  '.Minilt 

A  guardian  angel  is  appointed  to  every  follower  of 
Christ,     These  heavenly  watchers  shield  the  righteous  from 

»Ps,  103:19-21;  Rev.  5:11,  *  Dan.  7:10;  Heb.  12:22.  -Eze.  1:14, 

*Matt.  28:3,  4,  ^2  Kings  19:35;  2  Chron.  32:21. 


AGENCY   OF  EVIL    SPIRTTS  513 

the  power  of  the  wicked  one.  This  Satan  himself  recognized 
when  he  said,  "Doth  Job  fear  God  for  naught?  Hast  not 
Thou  made  a  hedge  about  him,  and  about  his  house,  and 
about  all  that  he  hath  on  every  side?"*  The  agency  by 
which  God  protects  His  people  is  presented  in  the  words  of 
'the  psalmist,  "The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round 
about  them  that  fearTlim,  and  delivereth  them.  "^  Said 
the  Saviour,  speaking  of  those  that  believe  in  Him,  "Take 
heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones;  for  I 
say  unto  you,  That  in  heaven  their  angels  do  always  behold 
the  face  of  My  Father. ' ' '  The  angels  appointed  to  minister 
to  the  children  of  God  have  at  all  times  access  to  His 
presence. 

Thus  God's  people,  exposed  to  the  deceptive  power  and 
unsleeping  malice  of  tiie  prince  of  darkness,  and  in  conflict 
with  all  the  forces  of  evil,  are  a.ssured  of  the  unceasing 
guardianship  of  heavenly  angels.  Nor  is  such  assurance 
given  without  need.  If  God  has  granted  to  His  children 
promise  of  grace  and  jjrotection,  it  is  because  there  are 
mighty  agencies  of  evil  to  be  met, —  agencies  numerous, 
determined,  and  untiring,  of  whose  malignity  and  power 
none  can  safely  be  ignorant  or  unheeding. 

Evil  spirits,  in  the  beginning  created  sinless,  were  equal 
in  nature,  power,  and  glory  with  the  holy  beings  that  are 
now  God's  messengers.  But  fallen  through  sin,  they  are 
leagued  together  for  the  dishonor  of  God  and  the  destruction 
of  men.  United  with  Satan  in  his  rebellion,  and  with  hira 
cast  out  from  heaven,  they  have,  through  all  succeeding 
ages,  co-operated  with  him  in  his  warfare  against  the  di- 
vine authority.  ^q_nr<^  -^^^^«^  m  Scripture  of  their  con- 
federacyand  government,  of^lhein  various  orders,  of  tlieir 
intelligence  anST  subtlety,  and  _of  their  malicious  designs 
against  the  peace  and  happiness  of  men. 

Old  Testament  history  presents  occasional  mentions  of 
their  existence  and  agency ;  but  it  was  during  the  time  when 
Christ  was  upon  the  earth  that  evil  spirits  manifested  their 
»Job  1:9,  10.  *P8.  34:7.  'Matt.  18:10. 

17— G.  C. 


514  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

power  in  the  most  striking  manner.  Christ  had  eome  to 
enter  upon  the  plan  devised  for  man's  redemption,  and 
Satan  determined  to  assert  his  right  to  control  the  world. 
He  had  succeeded  in  establishing  idolatry  in  every  part 
of  the  earth  except  the  land,  of  Palestine.  To  the  only 
land  that  had  not  fully  yielded  to  the  tempter's  sway,  Christ 
came  to  shed  upon  the  people  the  light  of  heaven.  Here 
two  rival  powers  claimed  supremacy.  Jesus  was  stretching 
out  His  arms  of  love,  inviting  all  who  would  to  find  pardon 
and  peace  in  Him.  The  hosts  of  darkness  saw  that  they  did 
not  possess  unlimited  control,  and  they  understood  that  if 
Christ's  mission  should  be  successful,  their  rule  was  soon  to 
end.  Satan  raged  like  a  chained  lion,  and  defiantly  exhibited 
liis  power  over  the  bodies  as  well  as  the  souls  of  men. 
J  , ;  The  fact  that  men  have  been  possessed  with  demons,  is 
clearly  stated  in  the  New  Testament.  The  persons  thus 
afflicted  were  not  merely  suffering  with  disease  from  natural 
causes.  Christ  had  perfect  understanding  of  that  with 
which  He  was  dealing,  and  He  recognized  the  direct  pres- 
ence and  agency  of  evil  spirits. 

•1, /.A  striking  example  of  their  number,  power,  and  malig- 
nity, and  also  of  the  power  and  mercy  of  Christ,  is  given  in 
the  Scripture  account  of  the  healing  of  the  demoniacs  at 
Gadara.  Those  wretched  maniacs,  spurning  all  restraint, 
writhing,  foaming,  raging,  were  filling  the  air  with  their 
cries,  doing  violence  to  themselves,  and  endangering  all  who 
should  approach  them.  Their  bleeding  and  disfigured  bodies 
and  distracted  minds  presented  a  spectacle  well-pleasing  to 
the  prince  of  darkness.  One  of  the  demons  controlling  the 
sufferers  declared,  "My  name  is  Legion:  for  we  are  many." ' 
In  the  Roman  army  a  legion  consisted  of  from  three  to  five 
thousand  men.  Satan's  hosts  also  are  marshaled  in  com- 
panies, and  the  single  company  to  which  these  demons  be- 
longed numbered  no  less  than  a  legion. 

At  the  command  of  Jesus,  the  evil  spirits  departed  from 
their  victims,  lea\dng  them  calmly  sitting  at  the  Saviour's 
feet,  subdued,  intelligent,  and  gentle.    But  the  demons  were 

» Mark  5:9. 


AGENCY   OF  EVIL   SPIRITS  515 

permitted  to  sweep  a  herd  of  swine  into  the  sea;  and  to  the 
dwellers  of  Gadara  the  loss  of  these  outweighed  the  blessings 
which  Christ  had  bestowed,  and  the  divine  Healer  was  en- 
treated to  depart.  This  was  the  result  wliich  Satan  designed 
to  secure.  By  casting  the  blame  of  their  loss  upon  Jesus, 
he  aroused  the  selfish  fears  of  the  people,  and  prevented 
them  from  listening  to  His  words.  Satan  is  constantly 
accusing  Christians  as  the  cause  of  loss,  misfortune,  and 
suffering,  instead  of  allowing  the  reproach  to  fall  where  it 
belongs, —  upon  himself  and  his  agents. 

But  the  purposes  of  Christ  were  not  thwarted.  He  al- 
lowed the  evil  spirits  to  destroy  the  herd  of  swine  as  a 
rebuke  to  those  Jews  who  were  raising  these  unclean  beasts 
for  the  sake  of  gain.  Had  not  Christ  restrained  the  demons, 
they  would  have  plunged  into  the  sea,  not  only  the  swine, 
but  also  their  keepers  and  owners.  The  preservation  of 
both  the  keepers  and  the  owners  was  due  alone  to  His 
power,  mercifully  exercised  for  their  deliverance.  Further- 
more, this  event  was  permitted  to  take  place  that  the  dis- 
ciples might  witness  the  cruel  power  of  Satan  upon  both 
man  and  beast.  The  Saviour  desired  His  followers  to  have 
a  knowledge  of  the  foe  whom  they  were  to  meet,  that  they 
might  not  be  deceived  and  overcome  by  his  devices.  It  was 
also  His  Avill  that  the  people  of  that  region  should  behold 
His  power  to  break  the  bondage  of  Satan  and  release  his 
captives.  And  thowgh  Jesus  Himself  departed,  the  men 
so  marvelously  delivered,  remained  to  declare  the  mercy  of 
their  Benefactor. 

Other  instances  of  a  similar  nature  are  recorded  in  the 
Scriptures.  The  daughter  of  the  Syro-Phenician  Avoman  was 
grievously  vexed  with  a  devil,  whom  Jesus  cast  out  by  His 
word.*  One  ' '  possessed  with  a  devil,  blind,  and  dumb  ; ' "  a 
youth  who  had  a  dumb  spirit,  that  ofttimes  "cast  him  into 
the  fire,  and  into  the  waters  to  destroy  him;"'  the  maniac 
who,  tormented  by  "a  spirit  of  an  unclean  devil,"*  dis- 
turbed the  Sabbath  quiet  of  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum, — 

•Mark  7:26-30.  ^^  Matt.  12:22.  'Mark  9:17-27. 

*Luke  4:33-36. 


516  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

all  were  healed  by  the  compassionate  Saviour.  In  nearly 
every  instance,  Christ  addressed  the  demon  as  an  intelli- 
gent entity,  commanding  him  to  come  out  of  his  victim 
and  to  torment  him  no  more.  The  worshipers  at  Capernaum, 
beholding  His  mighty  power,  "were  all  amazed,  and  spake 
among  themselves,  saying,  "What  a  word  is  this!  for  with 
authority  and  power  He  commandeth  the  unclean  spirits, 
and  they  come  out."' 

Those  possessed  with  devils  are  usually  represented  as 
being  in  a  condition  of  great  suffering;  yet  there  were  ex- 
ceptions to  this  rule.  For  the  sake  of  obtaining  super- 
natural power,  some  welcomed  the  satanic  influence.  These 
pf  course  had  no  conflict  with  the  demons.  Of  this  class 
were  those  who  possessed  tlie  spirit  of  divination, —  Simon 
Magus,  Elymas  the  sorcerer,  and  the  damsel  who  followed 
Paul   and   Silas   at   Philippi. 

None  are  in  greater  danger  from  the  influence  of  evil 
spirits  than  those  who,  notwithstanding  the  direct  and  ample 
testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  deny  the  existence  and  agency 
of  tlio  devil  and  his  angels.  So  long  as  we  are  ignorant 
of  their  wiles,  they  have  almost  inconceivable .  advantage; 
many  give  heed  to  their  suggestions  while  they  suppose 
themselves  to  be  following  the  dictates  of  their  own  wisdom. 
This  is  why,  as  we  approach  the  close  of  time,  when  Satan 
is  to  work  with  greatest  power  to  deceive  and  destroy,  he 
spreads  everywhere  the  belief  that  he 'does  not  exist.  It 
is  his  policy  to  conceal  himself  and  his  manner  of  working. 

There  is  nothing  that  the  great  deceiver  fears  so  much  as 
that  we  shall  become  acquainted  with  his  devices.  The 
better  to  disguise  his  real  character  and  purposes,  he  has 
caused  himself  to  be  so  represented  as  to  excite  no  stronger 
emotion  than  ridicule  or  contempt.  He  is  well  pleased  to 
be  painted  as  a  ludicrous  or  loathsome  object,  misshapen, 
half  animal  and  half  human.  He  is  pleased  to  hear  his 
name  used  in  sport  and  mockery  by  those  who  think  them- 
selves intelligent  and  well  informed. 

^Luke  4:36. 


AGENCY  OF  EVIL  SPIRITS  517 

It  is  because  he  has  masked  himself  with  consummate 
skill  that  the  question  is  so  widely  asked,  "Does  such  a 
being  really  exist?"  It  is  an  evidence  of  his  success  that 
theories  giving  the  lie  to  the  plainest  testimony  of  the 
Scriptures  are  so  generally  received  in  the  religious  world. 
And  it  is  because  Satan  can  most  readily  control  the  minds 
of  those  who  are  unconscious  of  his  influence,  that  the  word 
of  God  gives  us  so  many  examples  of  his  malignant  work, 
unveiling  before  us  his  secret  forces,  and  thus  placing  us  on 
our  guard  against  his  assaults. 

The  power  and  malice  of  Satan  and  his  host  might  justly 
alarm  us,  were  it  not  that  we  may  find  shelter  and  deliv- 
erance in  the  superior  power  of  our  Redeemer.  We  care- 
fully secure  our  houses  with  bolts  and  locks  to  protect  our 
property  and  our  lives  from  evil  men;  but  we  seldom  think 
of  the  evil  angels  who  are  constantly  seeking  access  to  us, 
and  against  whose  attacks  we  have,  in  our  own  strength, 
no  method  of  defense.  If  permitted,  they  can  distract  our 
minds,  disorder  and  torment  our  bodies,  destroy  our  pos- 
sessions and  our  lives.  Their  only  delight  is  in  misery  and 
destruction.  Fearful  is  the  condition  of  those  who  resist 
the  divine  claims,  and  yield  to  Satan's  temptations,  until 
God  gives  them  up  to  the  control  of  evil  spirits.  But 
those  who  follow  Christ  are  ever  safe  under  His  watchcare. 
Angels  that  excel  in  strength  are  sent  from  heaven  to  pro- 
tect them.  The  wicked  one  cannot  break  through  the  guard 
which  God  has  stationed  about  His  people. 


f^'s^^'^'^^^^^^^d 


SNARES    OF    SATAN -32 

The  great  controversy  between  Christ  and  Satan,  that  has 
been  carried  forward  for  nearly  six  thousand  years,  is  soon 
to  close;  and  the  wicked  one  redoubles  his  efforts  to  defeat 
the  work  of  Christ  in  man's  behalf,  and  to  fasten  souls  in 
his  snares.  To  hold  the  people  in  darkness  and  impenitence 
till  the  Saviour's  mediation  is  ended,  and  there  is  no  longer 
a  sacrifice  for  sin,  is  the  object  which  he  seeks  to  accomplish. 

When  there  is  no  special  effort  made  to  resist  his  power, 
when  indifference  prevails  in  the  church  and  the  world, 
Satan  is  not  concerned ;  for  he  is  in  no  danger  of  losing  those 
whom  he  is  leading  captive  at  his  will.  But  when  the  atten- 
tion is  called  to  eternal  things,  and  souls  are  inquiring, 
"What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  he  is  on  the  ground,  seek- 
ing to  match  his  power  against  the  power  of  Christ,  and  to 
counteract  the  influence  of  the   Holy   Spirit. 

The  Scriptures  declare  that  upon  one  occasion,  when  the 
angels  of  God  came  to  present  themselves  before  the  Lord, 
Satan  came  also  among  them,*  not  to  bow  before  the  Eternal 
King,  but  to  further  his  own  malicious  designs  against  the 
righteous.  With  the  same  object  he  is  in  attendance  when 
men  assemble  for  the  worship  of  God.  Though  hidden 
from  sight,  he  is  M^orking  with  all  diligence  to  control  the 
minds  of  the  worshipers.  Like  a  skilful  general,  he  lays 
his  plans  beforehand.  As  he  sees  the  messenger  of  God 
searching  the  Scriptures,  he  takes  note  of  the  subject  to  be 

'Job  1:6. 
(518) 


♦  SNARES   OF  SATAN  519 

presented  to  the  people.  Then  he  employs  all  his  cunning 
and  shrewdness  so  to  control  circumstances  that  the  message 
may  not  reach  those  whom  he  is  deceiving  on  that  very 
point.  The  one  who  most  needs  the  warning  will  he  urged 
into  some  business  transaction  which  requires  his  presence, 
or  will  by  some  other  means  be  prevented  from  hearing  the 
words  that  might  prove  to  him  a  savor  of  life  unto  life. 

Again,  Satan  sees  the  Lord's  servants  burdened  because 
of  the  spiritual  darkness  that  enshrouds  the  people.  Pie 
hears  their  earnest  prayers  for  divine  grace  and  power  to 
break  the  spell  of  indifference,  carelessness,  and  indolence. 
Then  with  renewed  zeal  he  plies  his  arts.  He  tempts  men 
to  the  indulgence  of  appetite  or  to  some  other  form  of  self- 
gratification,  and  thus  benumbs  their  sensibilities,  so  that 
they  fail  to  hear  the  very  things  which  they  most  need  to 
learn. 

Satan  well  knows  that  all  whom  he  can  lead  to  neglect 
prayer  and  the  searching  of  the  Scriptures,  will  be  overcome 
by  his  attacks.  Therefore  ho  invents  every  possible  device 
to  engross  the  mind.  There  has  ever  been  a  class  professing 
godliness,  who,  instead  of  following  on  to  know  the  truth, 
make  it  their  religion  to  seek  some  fault  of  character  or 
error  of  faith  in  those  with  whom  they  do  not  agree.  Such 
are  Satan's  right-hand  helpers.  Accusers  of  the  brethren 
are  not  few;  and  they  are  always  active  when  God  is  at 
work,  and  His  servants  are  rendering  Him  true  homage. 
They  will  put  a  false  coloring  upon  the  words  and  acts  of 
those  who  love  and  obey  the  truth.  They  will  represent 
the  most  earnest,  zealous,  self-denying  servants  of  Christ  as 
deceived  or  deceivers.  It  is  their  work  to  misrepresent  the 
motives  of  every  true  and  noble  deed,  to  circulate  insinua- 
tions, and  arouse  suspicion  in  the  minds  of  the  inexperi- 
enced. In  every  conceivable  manner  they  will  seek  to 
cause  that  which  is  pure  and  righteous  to  be  regarded  as 
foul  and  deceptive. 

But  none  need  be  deceived  concerning  them.  It  may  be 
readily  seen  whose  children   they  are,   whose   example  tliey 


520  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

follow,  and  whose  work  they  do.  "Ye  shall  know  them 
hy  their  fruits. ' '  *  Their  course  resembles  that  of  Satan,  the 
envenomed  slanderer,  "the  accuser  of  our  brethren."* 

The  great  deceiver  has  many  agents  ready  to  present  any 
and  every  kind  of  error  to  ensnare  souls, —  heresies  prepared 
to  suit  the  varied  tastes  and  capacities  of  those  whom  he 
would  ruin.  It  is  his  plan  to  bring  into  tlie  church  insin- 
cere, unregenerate  elements  that  will  encourage  doubt  and 
unbelief,  and  liinder  all  who  desire  to  see  the  work  of  God 
advance,  and  to  advance  with  it.  Many  who  have  no  real 
faith  in  God  or  in  His  word,  assent  to  some  principles  of 
truth,  and  pass  as  Christians;  and  thus  they  are  enabled  to 
introduce  their  errors  as  scriptural  doctrines. 

The  position  that  it  is  of  no  consequence  what  men  be- 
lieve, is  one  of  Satan's  most  successful  deceptions.  He  knows 
that  the  truth,  received  in  the  love  of  it,  sanctifies  the  soul 
of  the  receiver;  therefore  he  is  constantly  seeking  to  sub- 
stitute false  theories,  fables,  another  gospel.  From  the  be- 
ginning, the  servants  of  God  have  contended  against  false 
teachers,  not  merely  as  vicious  men,  but  as  inculcators  of 
falsehoods  that  were  fatal  to  the  soul.  Elijah,  Jeremiah, 
Paul,  firmly  and  fearlessly  opposed  those  who  were  turning 
men  from  the  word  of  God.  That  liberality  which  regards 
a  correct  religious  faith  as  unimportant,  found  no  favor  with 
these  holy  defenders  of  the  truth. 

The  vague  and  fanciful  interpretations  of  Scripture,  and 
the  many  conflicting  theories  concerning  religious  faith,  that 
are  found  in  the  Christian  world,  are  the  work  of  our  great 
adversary,  to  confuse  minds  so  that  they  shall  not  discern 
the  truth.  And  the  discord  and  division  which  exist  among 
the  churches  of  Christendom  are  in  a  great  measure  due 
to  the  prevailing  custom  of  wresting  the  Scriptures  to  sup- 
port a  favorite  theory.  Instead  of  carefully  studying  God's 
word  with  humility  of  heart  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  His 
will,  many  seek  only  to  discover  something  odd  or  original. 
^Matt.  7:16.  »Eev.  12:10. 


SNARES  OF  SATAN  521 

In  order  to  sustain  erroneous  doctrines  or  unchristian 
practices,  some  will  seize  upon  passages  of  Scripture  sep- 
arated from  the  context,  perhaps  quoting  half  of  a-  single 
verse  as  proving  their  point,  when  the  remaining  portion 
would  show  the  meaning  to  be  quite  the  opposite.  With 
the  cunning  of  the  serpent,  they  entrench  themselves  behind 
disconnected  utterances  construed  to  suit  their  carnal  de- 
sires. Thus  do  many  wilfully  pervert  the  word  of  God. 
Others,  who  have  an  active  imagination,  seize  upon  the 
figures  and  symbols  of  Holy  Writ,  interpret  them  to  suit 
their  fancy,  with  little  regard  to  the  testimony  of  Scripture 
as  its  own  interpreter,  and  then  they  present  their  vagaries 
as  the  teachings  of  the  Bible. 

Whenever  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  is  entered  upon 
without  a  prayerful,  humble,  teachable  spirit,  the  plainest 
and  simplest  as  well  as  the  most  difficult  passages  will  be 
wrested  from  their  true  meaning.  The  papal  leaders  select 
such  portions  of  Scripture  as  best  serve  their  purpose,  in- 
terpret to  suit  themselves,  and  then  present  these  to  the 
people,  wliile  they  deny  them  the  privilege  of  studying  the 
Bible  and  understanding  its  sacred  truths  for  themselves. 
The  whole  Bible  should  be  given  to  the  people  just  as  it 
reads.  It  would  be  better  for  them  not  to  have  Bible  in- 
struction at  all,  than  to  have  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures 
thus  grossly  misrepresented. 

The  Bible  was  designed  to  be  a  guide  to  all  who  wish 
to  become  acquainted  with  the  will  of  their  Maker.  God 
gave  to  men  the  sure  word  of  prophecy;  angels  and  even 
Christ  Himself  came  to  make  known  to  Daniel  and  John  the 
things  that  must  shortly  come  to  pass.  Those  important 
matters  that  concern  our  salvation  were  not  left  involved  in 
mystery.  They  were  not  revealed  in  such  a  way  as  to  per- 
plex and  mislead  the  honest  seeker  after  truth.  Said  the 
Lord  by  the  prophet  Ilabakkuk,  "Write  the  vision,  and 
make  it  plain,  .  .  .  that  he  may  run  that  readeth  it."* 
The  word  of  God  is  plain  to  all  who  study  it  with  a  prayer- 

»Hab.  2:2. 


522  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ful  heart.  Every  truly  honest  soul  will  come  to  the  light  of 
truth.  "Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous."'  And  no  church 
can  advance  in  holiness  unless  its  members  are  earnestly 
seeking  for  truth  as  for  hid  treasure. 

By  the  cry,  Liberality,  men  are  blinded  to  the  devices  of 
their  adversary,  while  he  is  all  the  time  working  steadily 
for  the  accomplishment  of  his  object.  As  he  succeeds  in 
supplanting  the  Bible  by  human  speculations,  the  law  of 
God  is  set  aside,  and  the  churches  are  under  the  bondage 
of  sin  while  they  claim  to  be  free. 

To  many,  scientific  research  has  become  a  curse.  God 
has  permitted  a  flood  of  light  to  be  poured  upon  the  world 
in  discoveries  in  science  and  art;  but  even  the*  greatest 
minds,  if  not  guided  by  the  word  of  God  in  their  research, 
become  bewildered  in  their  attempts  to  investigate  the  re- 
lations of  science  and  revelation. 

Human  knowledge  of  both  material  and  spiritual  things 
is  partial  and  imperfect;  therefore  many  are  unable  to  har- 
monize their  views  of  science  with  Soripture  statements. 
]\Iany  accept  mere  theories  and  speculations  as  scientific 
facts,  and  they  think  that  God's  word  is  to  be  tested  by  the 
teachings  of  "science  falsely  so  called.'"  The  Creator  and 
His  works  are  beyond  their  comprehension ;  and  because 
they  cannot  explain  these  by  natural  laws,  Bible  history  is 
regarded  as  unreliable.  Those  who  doubt  the  reliability  of 
the  records  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  too  often  go  a 
step  farther,  and  doubt  the  existence  of  God,  and  attribute 
infinite  power  to  nature.  Having  let  go  their  anchor,  they 
are  left  to  beat  about  upon  the  rocks  of  infidelity. 

Thus  many  err  from  the  faith,  and  are  seduced  by  the 
devil.  Men  have  endeavored  to  be  wiser  than  their  Creator; 
human  philosophy  has  attempted  to  search  out  and  explain 
mystenfis_ffihich^jivill_neYer  be  revealed,  through  the  eternal 
ages.  If  men  would  but  search  and  understand  what  God 
has  made  kno^^^l  of  Himself  and  His  purposes,  they  would 
obtain  such  a  view  of  the  glory,  majesty,  and  power  of 
Jehovah,  that  they  would  realize  their  own  littleness,  and 
»Ps.  97:11.  »1  Tim.  6:20. 


SNARES  OF  SATAN  523 

would  be  content  with  that  which  has  been  revealed  for 
themselves  and  their  children. 

It  is  a  masterpiece  of  Satan's  deceptions  to  keep  the 
minds  of  men  searching  and  conjecturing  in  regard  to  that 
which  God  has  not  made  known,  and  which  He  does  not 
intend  that  we  shall  understand.  It  was  thus  that  Lucifer 
lost  his  place  in  heaven.  He  became  dissatisfied  because  all 
the  secrets  of  God's  purposes  were  not  confided  to  him,  and 
he  entirely  disregarded  that  which  was  revealed  concerning 
his  own  work  in  the  lofty  position  assigned  him.  By 
arousing  the  same  discontent  in  the  angels  under  his  com- 
mand, he  caused  their  fall.  Now  he  seeks  to  imbue  the  minds 
of  men  with  the  same  spirit,  and  to  lead  them  also  to  dis- 
regard the  direct  commands  of  God. 

Those  who  are  unwilling  to  accept  the  plain,  cutting 
truths  of  the  Bible,  are  continually  seeking  for  pleasing  fa- 
bles that  will  quiet  the  conscience.  The  less  spiritual,  self- 
denying,  and  humiliating  the  doctrines  presented,  the  greater 
the  favor  with  which  they  are  received.  These  persons  de- 
grade the  intellectual  powers  to  serve  their  carnal  desires. 
Too  wise  in  their  own  conceit  to  search  the  Scriptures  with 
contrition  of  soul  and  earnest  prayer  for  divine  guidance, 
they  have  no  shield  from  delusion.  Satan  is  ready  to  supply 
the  heart's  desire,  and  he  palms  off  his  deceptions  in  the 
place  of  truth.  It  was  thus  that  the  papacy  gained  its 
power  over  the  minds  of  men;  and  by  rejection  of  the  truth 
because  it  involves  a  cross,  Protestants  are  following  the 
same  path.  All  who  neglect  the  word  of  God  to  study  con- 
venience and  policy,  that  they  may  not  be  at  variance  wdth 
the  world,  will  be  left  to  receive  damnable  heresy  for  relig- 
ious truth.  Every  conceivable  form  of  error  will  be  accepted 
by  those  who  wilfully  reject  the  truth.  He  who  looks  with 
horror  upon  one  deception  will  readily  receive  another.  The 
apostle  Paul,  speaking  of  a  class  who  "received  not  the 
love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,"  declares, 
"For  this  cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that 
they,  should  believe  a  lie:  that  they  all  might  be  damned 


524  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unright- 
eousness. ' ' '  With  such  a  warning  before  us,  it  behooves  us 
to  be  on  our  guard  as  to  what  doctrines  we  receive. 

Among  the  most  successful  agencies  of  the  great  deceiver 
are  the  delusive  teachings  and  lying  wonders  of  Spiritualism. 
Disguised  as  an  angel  of  light,  he  spreads  his  nets  where 
least  suspected.  If  men  would  but  study  the  Book  of  God 
with  earnest  prayer  that  they  might  understand  it,  they 
would  not  be  left  in  darkness  to  receive  false  doctrines.  But 
as  they  reject  the  truth,  they  fall  a  prey  to  deception. 

Another  dangerous  error  is  the  doctrine  that  denies  the 
deity  of  Christ,  claiming  that  He  had  no  existence  before 
His  advent  to  this  world.  This  theory  is  received  with  favor 
by  a  large  class  who  profess  to  believe  the  Bible;  yet  it 
directly  contradicts  the  plainest  statements  of  our  Saviour 
concerning  His  relationship  with  the  Father,  His  divine 
character,  and  His  pre-existence.  It  cannot  be  entertained 
without  the  most  unwarranted  wresting  of  the  Scriptures. 
It  not  only  lowers  man's  conceptions  of  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, ])ut  undermines  faith  in  the  Bible  as  a  revelation  from 
God.  While  this  renders  it  the  more  dangerous,  it  makes 
it  also  harder  to  meet.  If  men  reject  the  testimony  of  the 
inspired  Scriptures  concerning  the  deity  of  Christ,  it  is 
in  vain  to  argue  the  point  with  them ;  for  no  argument, 
however  conclusive,  could  convince  them.  "The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God :  for  they 
are  foolishness  unto  him:  neither  can  he  know  them,  be- 
cause they  are  spiritually  discerned. ' '  ^  None  who  hold  this 
error  can  have  a  true  conception  of  the  character  or  the 
mission  of  Christ,  or  of  the  great  plan  of  God  for  man's 
redemption. 

Still   another  subtle  and  mischievous  error  is  the   fast- 
spreading  belief  that  Satan  has  no  existence  as  a  personal 
being;  that  the  name  is  used  in  Scripture  merely  to  rep- 
resent men's   evil   thoughts  and  desires. 
-  ...J 2  Theas.  2 :  10-12.  *  1  Cor.  2 :  14. 


SNARES  OF  SATAN  525 

The  teaching  so  mdely  echoed  from  popular  pulpits,  that 
the  second  advent  of  Christ  is  His  coming  to  each  individual 
at  death,  is  a  device  to  divert  the  minds  of  men  from  His 
personal  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  For  years  8atan 
has  thus  been  saying,  "Behold,  He  is  in  the  secret  cham- 
bers ; ' "  and  many  souls  have  been  lost  by  accepting  this 
deception. 

Again,  worldly  wisdom  teaches  that  prayer  is  not  essen- 
tial. Men  of  science  claim  that  there  can  be  no  real  answer 
to  prayer;  that  this  would  be  a  violation  of  law,  a  miracle, 
and  that  miracles  have  no  existence.  The  universe,  say  they, 
is  governed  by  fixed  laws,  and  God  Himself  does  nothing 
contrary  to  these  laws.  Thus  they  represent  God  as  bound 
by  His  own  laws  —  as  if  the  operation  of  divine  laws  could 
exclude  divine  freedom.  Such  teaching  is  opposed  to  tll6 
testimony  of  the  Scriptures.  Were  not  miracles  wrought  by 
Christ  and  His  apostles?  The  same  compassionate  Saviour 
lives  to-day,  and  He  is  as  willing  to  listen  to  the  prayer 
of  faith  as  when  He  walked  visibly  among  men.  The  nat- 
ural co-operates  with  the  supernatural.  It  is  a  part  of 
God's -plan  to  grant  us,  in  answer  to  the  prayer  of  faith, 
that  which  He  would  not  bestow  did  we  not  thus  ask. 

Innumerable  are  the  erroneous  doctrines  and  fanciful 
ideas  that  are  obtaining  among  the  churches  of  Cliristendom. 
it  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  evil  results  of  removing  one 
of  the  landmarks  fixed  by  the  word  of  God.  Few  who 
venture  to  do  this  stop  with  the  rejection  of  a  single  truth. 
The  majority  continue  to  set  aside  one  after  another  of  the 
principles  of  truth,  until  tluiy  become  actual  infidels. 

The  errors  of  popular  theology  have  driven  many  a  soul 
to  skepticism,  who  might  otherwise  have  been  a  believer  in 
the  Scriptures.  It  is  impossible  for  him  to  accept  doctrines 
which  outrage  his  sense  of  justice,  mercy,  and  benevolence; 
and  since  these  are  represented  as  the  teaching  of  the  Bible, 
he  refuses  to  receive  it  as  the  word  of  God. 
»Matt.  24:23-26. 


626  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

And  this  is  the  object  which  Satan  seeks  to  accomplish. 
There  is  nothing  that  he  desires  more  than  to  destroy  con- 
fidence in  God  and  in  His  word.  Satan  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  great  army  of  doubters,  and  he  works  to  tlie  utmost 
of  his  power  to  beguile  souls  into  his  ranks.  It  is  becoming 
fashionable  to  doubt.  There  is  a  large  class  by  w'hom  the 
word  of  God  is  looked  upon  with  distrust  for  the  same 
reason  as  was  its  Author, —  because  it  reproves  and  condemns 
sin.  Those  who  are  unwilling  to  obey  its  requirements, 
endeavor  to  overthrow  its  authority.  They  read  the  Bible,  or 
listen  to  its  teachings  as  presented  from  the  sacred  desk, 
merely  to  find  fault  with  the  Scriptures  or  with  the  sermon. 
Not  a  few  become  infidels  in  order  to  justify  or  excuse  them- 
selves in  neglect  of  duty.  Others  adopt  skeptical  principles 
from  pride  and  indolence.  Too  ease-loving  to  distinguish 
themselves  by  accomplishing  anything  worthy  of  honor, 
which  requires  effort  and  self-denial,  they  aim  to  secure  a 
reputation  for  superior  wisdom  by  criticising  the  Bible. 
There  is  much  which  the  finite  mind,  unenlightened  by 
divine  wisdom,  is  powerless  to  comprehend;  and  thus  they 
find  occasion  to  criticise.  There  are  many  who  seem  to  feel 
that  it  is  a  virtue  to  stand  on  the  side  of  unbelief,  skepti- 
cism, and  infidelity.  But  underneath  an  appearance  of 
candor,  it  will  be  found  that  such  persons  are  actuated  by 
self-confidence  and  pride.  Many  delight  in  finding  some- 
thing in  the  Scriptures  to  puzzle  the  minds  of  others. 
Some  at  first  criticise  and  reason  on  the  wrong  side,  from  a 
mere  love  of  controversy.  They  do  not  realize  that  they 
are  thus  entangling  themselves  in  the  snare  of  the  fowler. 
But  having  openly  expressed  unbelief,  they  feel  that  they 
must  maintain  their  position.  Thus  they  unite  with  tlie 
ungodly,  and  close  to  themselves  the  gates  of  Paradise. 

God  has  given  in  His  word  sufficient  evidence  of  its  divine 
character.  The  great  truths  which  concern  our  redemption 
are  clearly  presented.  By  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
is  promised  to  all  who  seek  it  in  sincerity,  every  man  may 


SNARES   OF  SATAN  52? 

understand  these  truths  for  himself.  God  has  granted  to 
men  a  strong  foundation  ujwn  which  to  rest  their  faith. 

Yet  the  finite  minds  of  men  are  inadqquate  fully  to  com- 
prehend the  plans  and  purposes  of  the  Infinite  One.  We 
can  never  by  searching  find  out  God.  We  must  not  attempt 
to  lift  with  presumptuous  hand  the  curtain  behind  which 
He  veils  His  majesty.  The  apostle  exclaims,  "How  un- 
searchable are  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding 
out!"*  We  can  so  far  comprehend  His  dealings  with  us,  and 
the  motives  by  which  He  is  actuated,  that  we  may  discern 
boundless  love  and  mercy  united  to  infinite  power.  Our 
Father  in  heaven  orders  everything  in  wisdom  and  right- 
eousness, and  we  are  not  to  be  dissatisfied  and  distrustful, 
but  to  bow  in  reverent  submission.  He  will  reveal  to  us 
as  much  of  His  purposes  as  it  is  for  our  good  to  know,  and 
beyond  that  we  must  trust  the  Hand  that  is  omnipotent,  the 
Heart  that  is  full  of  love. 

While  God  has  given  ample  evidence  for  faith,  He  will 
never  remove  all  excuse  for  unbelief.  All  who  look  for 
hooks  to  hang  their  doubts  upon,  will  find  them.  And 
those  who  refuse  to  accept  and  obey  God's  word  until  every 
objection  has  been  removed,  and  there  is  no  longer  an  op- 
portunity for  doubt,  will  never  come  to  the  liglit. 

Distrust  of  God  is  the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  unre- 
newed heart,  which  is  at  enmity  with  Him.  But  faith  is 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  it  will  flourish  only  as  it 
is  cherished.  No  man  can  become  strong  in  faith  without 
a  determined  effort.  Unbelief  strengthens  as  it  is  encour- 
aged; and  if  men,  instead  of  dwelling  upon  the  evidences 
which  God  has  given  to  sustain  their  faith,  permit  them- 
selves to  question  and  cavil,  they  will  find  their  doubts  con- 
stantly becoming  more  confirmed. 

(M  But  those  who  doubt  God's  promises,  and  distrust  the 
assurance  of  His  grace,  are  dishonoring  Him;  and  their 
influence,    instead   of    drawing   others    to    Christ,    tends    to 

*Rom,  U;33. 


528  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

repel  them  from  Him.  They  are  unproductive  trees,,  that 
spread  their  dark  branches  far  and  wide,  shutting  away  the 
sunlight  from  other  plants,  and  causing  them  to  droop  and 
die  under  the  chilling  shadow.  The  life-work  of  tliese  per- 
sons will  appear  as  a  never-ceasing  witness  against  them. 
They  are  sowing  seeds  of  doubt  and  skepticism  that  will 
yield  an  unfailing  harvest. 

There  is  but  one  course  for  those  to  pursue  who  honestly 
desire  to  be  freed  from  doubts.  Instead  of  questioning  and 
caviling  concerning  that  which  they  do  not  understand,  let 
them  give  heed  to  the  light  which  already  shines  upon 
them,  and  the.y  will  receive  greater  light.  Let  them  do 
every  duty  which  has  been  made  plain  to  their  under- 
standing, and  they  will  be  enabled  to  understand  and  per- 
form those  of  which  they  are  now  in  doubt. 

,  Satan  can  present  a  counterfeit  so  closely  resembling  the 
truth  that  it  deceives  those  who  are  willing  to  be  deceived, 
who  desire  to  shun  the  self-denial  and  sacrifice  demanded  by 
the  truth;  but  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  hold  under  his 
power  one  soul  who  honestly  desires,  at  whatever  cost,  to 
know  the  truth.  Christ  is  the  truth,  and  the  "light,  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world.'"  The 
Spirit  of  truth  has  been  sent  to  guide  men  into  all  truth. 
And  upon  the  authority  of  the  Son  of  God  it  is  declared, 
"Seek,  and  ye  shall  find."  "If  any  man  will  do  His  will, 
he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine."^ 

The  followers  of  Christ  know  little  of  the  plots  which 
Satan  and  his  hosts  are  forming  against  them.  But  He  who 
sitteth  in  the  heavens  will  overrule  all  these  devices  for  the 
accomplishment  of  His  deep  designs.  The  Lord  permits  His 
people  to  be  subjected  to  the  fiery  ordeal  of  temptation,  not 
because  He  takes  pleasure  in  their  distress  and  affliction, 
but  because  this  process  is  essential  to  their  final  victory. 
He  could  not,  consistently  with  His  own  glory,  shield  them 
from  temptation;  for  the  very  object  of  the  trial  is  to  pre- 
pare them  to  resist  all  the  allurements  of  evil. 

»Johii  1:9.  ^Matt.  7:7;  John  7:17. 


SNARES   OF  SATAN  529 

Neither  wicked  men  nor  devils  can  hinder  the  work  of 
God,  or  shut  out  His  presence  from  His  people,  if  they  will, 
with  subdued,  contrite  hearts,  confess  and  put  away  their 
sins,  and  in  faith  claim  His  promises.  Every  temptation, 
every  opposing  influence,  whether  open  or  secret,  may  be 
successfully  resisted,  "not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by 
My  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, ' ' ' 

"The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous,  and  His 
ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers.  .  .  .  And  who  is  he  that 
will  harm  you,  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good?"* 
When  Balaam,  allured  by  the  promise  of  rich  rewards,  prac- 
tised enchantments  against  Israel,  and  by  sacrifices  to  the 
Lord  sought  to  invoke  a  curse  upon  His  people,  the  Spirit 
of  God  forbade  the  evil  which  he  longed  to  pronounce,  and 
Balaam  was  forced  to  exclaim :  ' '  How  shall  I  curse,  whom 
God  hath  not  cursed?  or  how  shall  I  defy,  whom  the  Lord 
hath  not  defied?"  "Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous, 
and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his ! ' '  When  sacrifice  had 
again  been  offered,  the  ungodly  prophet  declared:  "Behold, 
I  have  received  commandment  to  bless :  and  He  hath  blessed ; 
and  I  cannot  reverse  it.  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in 
Jacob,  neither  hath  He  seen  perverseness  in  Israel :  the  Lord 
his  God  is  with  him,  and  the  shout  of  a  King  is  among 
them."  "Surely  there  is  no  enchantment  against  Jacob, 
neither  is  there  any  divination  against  Israel:  according 
to  this  time  it  shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and  of  Israel,  Wliat 
hath  God  wrought!"'  Yet  a  third  time  altars  were  erected, 
and  again  Balaam  essayed  to  secure  a  curse.  But  from  the 
unwilling  lips  of  the  prophet,  the  Spirit  of  God  declared  the 
prosperity  of  His  chosen,  and  rebuked  the  folly  and  malice 
of  their  foes:  "Blessed  is  he  that  blesseth  thee,  and  cursed 
is  he  that  curseth   thee."* 

The  people  of  Israel  were  at  this  time  loyal  to  God;  and 

so  long  as  they  continued  in  obedience  to  His  law,  no  power 

in  earth  or  hell  could  prevail  against  them.     But  the  curse 

which  Balaam  had  not  been  permitted  to  pronounce  against 

>Zech.4:6.        '1  Peter  3:12, 13.       »  Num.  23:8, 10,  20,  21,  23;  24:9. 


530  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

God's  people,  he  finally  succeeded  in  bringing  upon  them 
by  seducing  them  into  sin.  When  they  transgressed  God's 
commandments,  then  they  separated  themselves  from  Him, 
and  they  were  left  to  feel  the  power  of  the  destroyer. 

Satan  is  well  aware  that  the  weakest  soul  who  abides  in 
Christ  is  more  than  a  match  for  the  hosts  of  darkness,  and 
that,  should  he  reveal  himself  openly,  he  would  be  met  and 
resisted.  Therefore  he  seeks  to  draw  away  the  soldiers  of 
the  cross  from  their  strong  fortification,  while  he  lies  in 
ambush  mth  his  forces,  .ready  to  destroy  all  who  venture 
upon  his  ground.  Only  in  humble  reliance  upon  God,  and 
obedience  to  all  His  commandments,  can  Ave  be  secure. 

No  man  is  safe  for  a  day  or  an  hour  without  prayer. 
Especially  should  we  entreat  the  Lord  for  wisdom  to  under- 
stand His  word.  Here  are  revealed  the  wiles  of  the 
tempter,  and  the  means  })y  which  he  may  be  successfully 
resisted.  Satan  is  an  expert  in  quoting  Scripture,  placing 
his  own  interpretation  upon  passages,  by  which  he  hopes 
to  cause  us  to  stumble.  We  should  study  the  Bible  with 
humility  of  heart,  never  losing  sight  of  our  dependence 
upon  God.  While  we  must  constantly  guard  against  the 
devices  of  Satan,  we  should  pray  in  faith  continually, 
"Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 


I 


THE   FIRST   GREAT   DEGEPTION-33 

With  the  earliest  history  of  man,  Satan  began  his  ef- 
forts to  deceive  our  race.  He  who  had  incited  rebellion  in 
heaven,  desired  to  bring  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  to 
unite  with  him  in  his  warfare  against  the  government  of 
God.  Adam  and  Eve  had  been  perfectly  happy  in  obedience 
to  the  law  of  God,  and  this  fact  was  a  constant  testimony 
against  the  claim  which  Satan  had  urged  in  heaven,  that 
God's  law  was  oppressive,  and  opposed  to  the  good  of  His 
creatures.  And  furthermore,  Satan's  envy  was  excited  as 
he  looked  upon  the  beautiful  home  prepared  for  the  sin- 
less pair.  He  determined  to  cause  their  fall,  that,  having 
separated  them  from  God  and  brought  them  under  his  own 
power,  he  might  gain  possession  of  the  earth,  and  here  es- 
tablish his  kingdom,  in  opposition  to  the  Most  High. 

Had  Satan  revealed  himself  in  his  real  character,  he 
would  have  been  repulsed  at  once,  for  Adam  and  Eve  had 
been  warned  against  this  dangerous  foe;  but  he  worked  in 
the  dark,  concealing  his  purpose,  that  he  might  more  effect- 
ually accomplish  his  object.  Employing  as  his  medium  the 
serpent,  then  a  creature  of  fascinating  appearance,  he  ad- 
dressed himself  to  Eve,  "Hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat 
of  every  tree  of  the  garden?"^  Had  Eve  refrained  from 
entering  into  argument  with  the  tempter,  she  would  have 
been  safe;  but  she  ventured  to  parley  with  him,  and  fell  a 

'Gen.  3:1. 

(531) 


532  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

victim  to  his  wiles.  It  is  thus  that  many  are  still  overcome. 
They  doubt  and  argue  concerning  the  requirements  of  God; 
and  instead  of  obeying  the  divine  commands,  they  accept 
human   theories,   which  but   disguise  the   devices   of   Satan. 

"The  M^oman  said  unto  the  serpent.  We  may  eat  of  the 
fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden:  but  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  God  hath  said.  Ye 
shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die.  And 
the  serpent  said  unto  the  woman,  Ye  shall  not  surely  die: 
for  God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your 
eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good 
and  evil."'  He  declared  that  they  would  become  like  God, 
possessing  greater  Avisdom  than  before,  and  being  capable 
of  a  higher  state  of  existence.  Eve  yielded  to  temptation; 
and  through  her  influence,  Adam  was  led  into  sin.  They 
accepted  the  words  of  the  serpent,  that  God  did  not  mean 
what  He  said;  tli^y  distrusted  their  Creator,  and  imagined 
that  He  was  restricting  their  liberty,  and  that  they  might 
obtain  great  wisdom  and  exaltation  by  transgressing  His  law. 

But  what  did  Adam,  after  liis  sin,  find  to  be  the  meaning 
of  the  words,  "In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
slialt  surely  die"?  Did  he  find  them  to  mean,  as  Satan  had 
led  him  to  believe,  that  he  was  to  be  ushered  into  a  more 
exalted  state  of  existence?  Then  indeed  there  was  great 
good  to  be  gained  by  transgression,  and  Satan  was  proved 
to  be  a  benefactor  of  tlie  race.  But  Adam  did  not  find 
this  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  divine  sentence.  God  de^ 
clared  tliat  as  a  penalty  for  his  sin,  man  should  return  to 
the  ground  whence  he  was  taken:  "Dust  thou  art,  and  unto 
dust  shalt  thou  return. ' ' "  The  words  of  Satan,  ' '  Your  eyes 
shall  be  opened,"  proved  to  be  true  in  this  sense  only: 
After  Adam  and  Eve  had  disobeyed  God,  their  eyes  were 
opened  to  discern  their  folly;  they  did  know  evil,  and  they 
tasted  the  bitter  fruit  of  transgression. 

In  the  midst  of  Eden  grew  the  tree  of  life,  whose  fruit 
had  the  power  of  perpetuating  life.  Had  Adam  remained 
*  Gen.  3:2-5.  'Gen.  3:19. 


.,^00 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION 

obedient  to  God,  he  would  have  continued  to  enjoy  free 
access  to  this  tree,  and  would  have  lived  forever.  But  when 
he  sinned,  he  was  cut  off  from  partaking  of  the  tree  of  life, 
and  he  became  subject  to  death.  The  divine  sentence,  "Dust 
thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  points  to  the 
utter  extinction  of  life. 

Immortality,  promised  to  man  on  condition  of  obedience, 
had  been  forfeited  by  transgression.  Adam  could  not  trans- 
mit to  his  posterity  that  which  he  did  not  possess;  and  there 
could  have  been  no  hope  for  the  fallen  race  had  not  God, 
by  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son,  brought  immortality  within  their 
reach.  While  "death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all 
have  sinned,"  Christ  "hath  brought  life  and  immortality 
to  light  through  the  gospel. ' '  *  And  only  through  Christ 
can  immortality  be  obtained.  Said  Jesus,  "He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life:  and  he  that  believeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life.  "^  Every  man  may  come  into 
possession  of  this  priceless  blessing  if  he  will  comply  with 
the  conditions.  All  "who  by  patient  continuance  in  well 
doing  seek  for  glory  and  honor  and  immortality,"  will  re- 
ceive "eternal  life."* 

The  only  one  who  promised  Adam  life  in  disobedience 
was  the  great  deceiver.  And  the  declaration  of  the  serpent 
to  Eve  in  Eden, — "Ye  shall  not  surely  die," — was  the  first 
sermon  ever  preached  upon  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 
Yet  this  declaration,  resting  solely  upon  the  authority  of 
Satan,  is  echoed  from  the  pulpits  of  Christendom,  and  is  re- 
ceived by  the  majority  of  mankind  as  readily  as  it  was 
received  by  our  first  parents.  The  divine  sentence,  "The 
soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die,"*  is  made  to  mean.  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  not  die,  but  live  eternally.  We  cannot 
but  wonder  at  the  strange  infatuation  which  renders  men 
so  credulous  concerning  the  words  of  Satan,  and  so  unbe- 
lieving in  regard  to  the  words  of  God. 

Had  man,  after  his  fall,  been  allowed  free  access  to  the 
tree  of   life,    he   would    have   lived    forever,    and    thus   sin 

»Rom.  5:12j  2  Tim.  1:10.  »John  3:36.  »Rom.  2:7. 

•Eze.  18:20. 


534  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

would  have  been  immortalized.  But  cherubim  and  a  flaming 
sword  kept  ' '  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life, ' ' '  and  not  one  of 
the  family  of  Adam  lias  been  permitted  to  pass  that  bar- 
rier and  partake  of  the  life-giving  fruit.  Therefore  there  is 
not  an  immortal  sinner. 

But  after  the  fall,  Satan  bade  his  angels  make  a  special 
effort  to  inculcate  the  belief  in  man's  natural  immortality; 
and  having  induced  the  people  to  receive  this  error,  they 
were  to  lead  them  on  to  conclude  that  the  sinner  would  live 
in  eternal  misery.  Now  the  prince  of  darkness,  working 
through  his  agents,  represents  God  as  a  revengeful  tyrant, 
declaring  that  lie  plunges  into  hell  all  those  who  do  not 
please  Ilim,  and  causes  them  ever  to  feel  Ilis  wrath;  and 
that  while  they  suffer  unutterable  anguish,  and  writhe  in 
the  eternal  flames,  their  Creator  looks  down  upon  them  with 
satisfaction. 

Thus  the  arch-fiend  clothes  with  his  own  attributes  the 
Creator  and  Benefactor  of  mankind.  Cruelty  is  satanic. 
God  is  love;  and  all  that  He  created  was  pure,  holy,  and 
lovely,  until  sin  was  brought  in  by  the  first  great  rebel. 
Satan  himself  is  the  enemy  who  tempts  man  to  sin,  and 
then  destroys  him  if  he  can ;  and  when  he  has  made  sure 
of  his  victim,  then  he  exults  in  the  ruin  he  has  wrought. 
If  permitted,  he  would  sweep  the  entire  race  into  his  net. 
Were  it  not  for  the  interposition  of  divine  power,  not  one 
son  or  daughter  of  Adam  would  escape. 

Satan  is  seeking  to  overcome  men  to-day,  as  he  overcame 
our  first  parents,  by  shaking  their  confidence  in  their  Crea- 
tor, and  leading  them  to  doubt  the  wisdom  of  His  govern- 
ment and  the  justice  of  His  laws.  Satan  and  his  emissaries 
represent  God  as  even  worse  than  themselves,  in  order  to 
justify  their  own  malignity  and  rebellion.  The  great  de- 
ceiver endeavors  to  shift  his  own  horrible  cruelty  of  char- 
acter upon  our  heavenly  Father,  that  he  may  cause  himself 
to  appear  as  one  greatly  wronged  by  his  expulsion  from 
heaven  because  he  would  not  submit  to  so  unjust  a  governor. 

'Gen.  3:24.  ,    -.  ' 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  535 

He  presents  before  the  world  the  liberty  which  they  may 
enjoy  under  his  mild  sway,  in  contrast  with  the  bondage 
imposed  by  the  stern  decrees  of  Jehovah.  Thus  he  succeeds 
in  luring  souls  away  from  their  allegiance  to  God. 

How  repugnant  to  every  emotion  of  love  and  mercy,  and 
even  to  our  sense  of  justice,  is  the  doctrine  that  the  wicked 
dead  are  tormented  witli  fire  and  brimstone  in  an  eternally 
burning  hell;  that  for  the  sins  of  a  brief  earthly  life  they 
are  to  suffer  torture  as  long  as  God  shall  live.  Yet  this 
doctrine  has  been  widely  taught,  and  is  still  embodied  in 
many  of  the  creeds  of  Christendom.  Said  a  learned  doctor 
of  divinity:  "The  sight  of  hell-torments  will  exalt  the  hap- 
piness of  the  saints  forever.  When  they  see  others  who  are 
of  the  same  nature  and  born  under  the  same  circumstances, 
plunged  in  such  misery,  and  they  so  distinguished,  it  will 
make  them  sensible  of  how  happy  they  are."  Another  used 
these  words:  "While  the  decree  of  reprobation  is  eternally 
executing  on  the  vessels  of  wrath,  the  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment will  be  eternally  ascending  in  view  of  the  vessels  of 
mercy,  who,  instead  of  taking  the  part  of  these  miserable 
objects,  will  say.  Amen,  Alleluia!  praise  ye  the  Lord!" 

Where,  in  the  pages  of  God's  word,  is  such  teaching  to  be 
found?  Will  the  redeemed  in  heaven  be  lost  to  all  emo- 
tions of  pity  and  compassion,  and  even  to  feelings  of  common 
humanity?  Are  these  to  be  exchanged  for  the  indifference 
of  the  stoic,  or  the  cruelty  of  the  savage?  No,  no;  such  is 
not  the  teaching  of  the  Book  of  God.  Those  who  present 
the  views  expressed  in  the  ((uotations  given  above  may  be 
learned  and  even  honest  men ;  but  they  are  deluded  by  the 
sophistry  of  Satan.  He  leads  them  to  misconstrue  strong 
expressions  of  Scripture,  giving  to  the  language  the  coloring 
of  bitterness  and  malignity  which  pertains  to  himself,  but 
not  to  our  Creator.  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked;  but  that  the  wicked 
turn  from  his  way  and  live :  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your 
evil  ways ;  for  why  will  ye  die  ? "  ' 

»Eze.  33:11. 


536  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

What  would  be  gained  to  God  should  we  admit  that  He 
delights  in  witnessing  unceasing  tortures;  that  He  is  regaled 
with  the  groans  and  shrieks  and  imprecations  of  the  suf- 
fering creatures  whom  He  holds  in  the  flames  of  hell?  Can 
these  horrid  sounds  be  music  in  the  ear  of  Infinite  Love? 
It  is  urged  that  the  infliction  of  endless  misery  upon  the 
wicked  would  show  God's  hatred  of  sin  as  an  evil  which  is 
ruinous  to  the  peace  and  order  of  the  universe.  Oh,  dread- 
ful blasphemy !  As  if  God 's  hatred  of  sin  is  the  reason  why 
it  is  perpetuated.  For,  according  to  the  teachings  of  these 
theologians,  continued  torture  without  hope  of  mercy  mad- 
dens its  wretched  victims,  and  as  they  pour  out  their  rage 
in  curses  and  blasphemy,  they  are  forever  augmenting  their 
load  of  guilt.  God's  glory  is  not  enhanced  by  thus  per- 
petuating continually  increasing  sin  through  ceaseless  ages. 

It  is  beyond  the  power  of  tlie  human  mind  to  estimate 
the  evil  which  has  been  wrought  by  the  heresy  of  eternal 
torment.  The  religion  of  tlie  Bible,  full  of  love  and  good- 
ness, and  abounding  in  compassi(m,  is  darkened  by  super- 
stition and  clothed  with  terror.  When  we  consider  in  what 
false  colors  Satan  has  painted  the  character  of  God,  can  we 
wonder  that  our  merciful  Creator  is  feared,  dreaded,  and 
even  hated?  The  appalling  views  of  God  which  have  spread 
over  the  world  from  the  teachings  of  the  pulpit  have  made 
thousands,  yes,  millions,  of  skeptics  and  infldels. 

The  theory  of  eternal  torment  is  one  of  the  false  doc- 
trines that  constitute  the  wine  of  the  abominations  of  Baby- 
lon, of  which  she  makes  all  nations  drink.'  That  ministers 
of  Christ  should  have  accepted  this  heresy  and  proclaimed  it 
from  the  sacred  desk,  is  indeed  a  mystery.  They  received 
it  from  Rome,  as  they  received  the  false  sabbath.  True, 
it  has  been  taught  by  great  and  good  men;  but  the  light 
on  this  subject  had  not  come  to  them  as  it  has  come  to  us. 
They  were  responsible  only  for  the  light  which  shone  in 
their  time;  we  are  accountable  for  that  which  shines  in  our 
day.     If  we  turn  from  the  testimony  of  God's  word,  and 

»Eev.  14:8;  17:2. 


I 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  537 

accept  false  doctrines  because  our  fathers  taught  them,  we 
fall  under  the  condemnation  pronounced  upon  Babylon; 
we  are  drinking  of  the  wine  of  her  abominations. 

A  large  class  to  whom  the  doctrine  of  eternal  torment  is 
revolting,  are  driven  to  the  opposite  error.  They  see  that 
the  Scriptures  represent  God  as  a  being  of  love  and  com- 
passion, and  they  cannot  believe  that  He  will  consign  His 
creatures  to  the  fires  of  an  eternally  burning  hell.  But 
holding  that  the  soul  is  naturally  immortal,  they  see  no 
alternative  but  to  conclude  that  all  mankind  will  finally  be 
saved.  Many  regard  the  threatenings  of  the  Bible  as  de- 
signed merely  to  frighten  men  into  obedience,  and  not  to  be 
literally  fulfilled.  Thus  the  sinner  can  live  in  selfish 
pleasure,  disregarding  the  requirements  of  God,  and  yet 
expect  to  be  finally  received  into  His  favor.  Such  a  doc- 
trine, presuming  upon  God's  mercy,  but  ignoring  His  jus- 
tice, pleases  the  carnal  heart,  and  emboldens  tlio  wcked  in 
their  iniquity. 

To  show  how  believers  in  universal  salvation  wrest  the 
Scriptures  to  sustain  their  soul-destroying  dogmas,  it  is 
needful  only  to  cite  their  own  utterances.  At  the  funeral 
of  an  irreligious  young  man,  who  had  been  killed  instantly 
by  an  accident,  a  Universalist  minister  selected  as  his  text 
the  Scripture  statement  concerning  David,  "He  was  com- 
forted concerning  Amnon,   seeing  he  was  dead. ' '  * 

* '  I  am  frequently  asked, ' '  said  the  speaker,  ' '  what  will  be 
the  fate  of  those  who  leave  the  world  in  sin,  die,  perhaps, 
in  a  state  of  inebriation,  die  with  the  scarlet  stains  of  crime 
unwashed  from  their  robes,  or  die  as  this  young  man  died, 
having  never  made  a  profession  or  enjoyed  an  experience 
of  religion.  We  are  content  with  the  Scriptures;  their 
answer  shall  solve  the  awful  problem.  Amnon  was  exceed- 
ingly sinful;  he  was  unrepentant,  he  was  made  drunk,  and 
while  drunk  was  killed.  David  was  a  prophet  of  God;  he 
must  have  known  whether  it  would  be  ill  or  well  for  Amnon 
in  the  world  to  come.  What  were  the  expressions  of  his 
»2  Sam.  13:39. 


538  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

heart?  'The  soul  of  King  David  longed  to  go  forth  unto 
Absalom:  for  he  was  comforted  concerning  Amnon,  seeing 
he  was  dead.' 

"And  what  is  the  inference  to  be  deduced  from  this 
language?  Is  it  not  that  endless  suffering  formed  no  part 
of  his  religious  belief?  So  we  conceive;  and  here  we  dis- 
cover a  triumphant  argument  in  support  of  the  more 
pleasing,  more  enlightened,  more  benevolent  hypothesis  of 
ultimate  universal  purity  and  peace.  He  was  comforted,  see- 
ing his  son  was  dead.  And  why  so?  Because  by  the  eye  of 
prophecy  he  could  look  forward  into  the  glorious  future, 
and  see  that  son  far  removed  from  all  temptations,  released 
from  the  bondage  and  purified  from  the  corruptions  of  sin, 
and  after  being  made  sufficiently  holy  and  enlightened, 
admitted  to  the  assembly  of  ascended  and  rejoicing  spirits. 
His  only  comfort  was,  that  in  being  removed  from  the  pres- 
ent state  of  sin  and  suffering,  his  beloved  son  had  gone  where 
the  loftiest  breathings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  would  be  shed 
upon  his  darkened  soul;  where  his  mind  would  be  unfolded 
to  the  wisdom  of  heaven  and  the  sweet  raptures  of  im- 
mortal love,  and  thus  prepared  with  a  sanctified  nature  to 
enjoy  the  rest  and  society  of  the  heavenly  inheritance. 

"In  these  thoughts  we  would  be  understood  to  believe 
that  the  salvation  of  heaven  depends  upon  nothing  which 
we  can  do  in  this  life;  neither  upon  a  present  change  of 
heart,  nor  upon  present  belief,  or  a  present  profession  of 
religion. ' ' 

Thus  does  the  professed  minister  of  Christ  reiterate  the 
falsehood  uttered  by  the  serpent  in  Eden,  "Ye  shall  not 
surely  die."  "In  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes 
shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods."  He  declares 
that  the  vilest  of  sinners, —  the  murderer,  the  thief,  and 
the  adulterer, —  will  after  death  be  prepared  to  enter  into 
immortal  bliss. 

And  from  what  does  this  perverter  of  the  Scriptures 
draw  his  conclusions?     From  a  single  sentence  expressing 


THE  FTEST  GREAT  DECEPTION  639 

David's  submission  to  the  dispensation  of  Providence.  His 
soul  "longed  to  go  forth  unto  Absalom:  for  he  was  com- 
forted concerning  Amnon,  seeing  he  was  dead."  The 
poignancy  of  his  grief  having  been  softened  by  time,  his 
thoughts  turned  from  the  dead  to  the  living  son,  self- 
banished  through  fear  of  the  just  punishment  of  his  crime. 
And  this  is  the  evidence  that  the  incestuous,  drunken 
Amnon  was  at  death  immediately  transported  to  the  abodes 
of  bliss,  there  to  be  purified  and  prepared  for  the  compan- 
ionship of  sinless  angels!  A  pleasing  fable  indeed,  well 
suited  to  gratify  the  carnal  heart !  This  is  Satan 's  own 
doctrine,  and  it  does  his  work  effectually.  Should  we  be 
surprised  that,  with  such  instruction,  wickedness  abounds? 

The  course  pursued  by  this  one  false  teacher  illustrates 
that  of  many  others.  A  few  words  of  Scripture  are  sep- 
arated from  the  context,  which  would,  in  many  cases,  show 
their  meaning  to  be  exactly  opposite  to  the  interpretation 
put  upon  them;  and  such  disjointed  passages  are  perverted 
and  used  in  proof  of  doctrines  that  have  "no  foundation  in 
the  word  of  God.  The  testimony  cited  as  evidence  that  the 
drunken  Amnon  is  in  heaven,  is  a  mere  inference,  directly 
contradicted  by  the  plain  and  positive  statement  of  the 
Scriptures,  that  no  drunkard  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.'  It  is  thus  that  doubters,  unbelievers,  and  skeptics 
turn  the  truth  into  a  lie.  And  multitudes  have  been  de- 
ceived by  their  sophistry,  and  rocked  to  sleep  in  the  cradle 
of  carnal  security. 

I  If  it  were  true  that  the  souls  of  all  men  passed  directly 
to  heaven  at  the  hour  of  dissolution,  then  we  might  well 
covet  death  rather  than  life.  ]\Iany  have  been  led  by  this 
belief  to  put  an  end  to  their  existence.  When  overwhelmed 
with  trouble,  perplexity,  and  disappointment,  it  seems  an 
easy  thing  to  break  the  brittle  thread  of  life,  and  soar  away 
into  the  bliss  of  the  eternal  world. 

God  has  given  in  His  word  decisive  evidence  that  He  will 
punish    the    transgressors   of    His   law.      Those    who    flatter 

'1  Cor.  6:10. 


540  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

themselves  that  He  is  too  merciful  to  execute  justice  upon 
the  sinner,  have  only  to  look  to  the  cross  of  Calvary.  The 
death  of  the  spotless  Son  of  God  testifies  that  "the  wages 
of  sin  is  death,"  that  every  violation  of  God's  law  must 
receive  its  just  retribution.  Christ  the  sinless  became  sin 
for  man.  He  bore  the  guilt  of  transgression,  and  the  hiding 
of  His  Father's  face,  until  His  heart  was  broken  and  His 
life  crushed  out.  All  this  sacrifice  was  made  that  sinners 
might  be  redeemed.  In  no  other  way  could  man  be  freed 
from  the  penalty  of  sin.  And  every  soul  that  refuses  to 
become  a  partaker  of  the  atonement  provided  at  such  a 
cost,  must  bear  in  his  own  person  the  guilt  and  punish- 
ment of  transgression. 

Let  us  consider  what  the  Bible  teaches  further  concern- 
ing the  ungodly  and  unrepentant,  whom  the  Universalist 
places  in  heaven  as  holy,  happy  angels. 

"I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain  of 
the  water  of  life  freely.'"  This  promise  is  only  to  those 
that  thirst.  None  but  those  who  feel  their  need  of  the  water 
of  life,  and  seek  it  at  the  loss  of  all  things  else,  will  be 
supplied.  "He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things; 
and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  My  son."'  Here, 
also,  conditions  are  specified.  In  order  to  inherit  all  things, 
we  must  resist  and  overcome  sin. 

The  Lord  declares  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "Say  ye  to  the 
righteous,  that  it  shall  be  well  with  him."  "Woe  unto  the 
wicked !  it  sliall  be  ill  with  him :  for  the  reward  of  his  hands 
shall  be  given  him."'  "Though  a  sinner  do  evil  a  hundred 
times,"  says  the  wise  man,  "and  his  days  be  prolonged,  yet 
surely  I  know  that  it  shall  be  well  Avith  them  that  fear  God, 
which  fear  before  Him:  but  it  shall  not  be  well  with  the 
wicked.''"  And  Paul  testifies  that  the  sinner  is  treasuring 
up  unto  himself  "wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  reve- 
lation of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  who  will  render 
to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds;"  "tribulation  and 
anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil. ' '  * 
'Rev.  21:6,  7.       *  Isa..  3:10,  11.     "  Eccl.  8:12,13.     *  Rom.  2:5,6,9. 


I 


THE  FIRST   GREAT  DECEPTION  541 

''No  fornicator,  nor  unclean  person,  nor  covetous  man, 
who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  God."*  ''Follow  peace  with  all  men,  and 
holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord. ' ' ' 
"Blessed  are  they  that  do  His  commandments,  that  they 
may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city.  For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers, 
and  whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  who- 
soever loveth  and  maketh  a  lie. ' ' ' 

God  has  given  to  men  a  declaration  of  His  character,  and 
of  His  method  of  dealing  with  sin.  "The  Lord  God,  mer- 
ciful and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity 
and  transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear 
the  guilty."*  "All  the  wicked  will  He  destroy."  "The 
transgressors  shall  be  destroyed  together:  the  end  of  the 
wicked  shall  be  cut  off.""  The  power  and  authority  of  the 
divine  government  will  be  employed  to  put  down  rebellion; 
yet  all  the  manifestations  of  retributive  justice  will  be  per- 
fectly consistent  with  the  character  of  God  as  a  merciful, 
long-suffering,   benevolent  being. 

God  does  not  force  the,  will  or  judgment  of  any.  He 
takes  no  pleasure  in  a  slavish  obedience.  He  desires  that  the 
creatures  of  His  hands  shall  love  Him  because  He  is  w^orthy 
of  love.  He  would  have  them  obey  Him  because  they  have 
an  intelligent  appreciation  of  His  wisdom,  justice,  and  be- 
nevolence. And  all  Avho  have  a  just  conception  of  these 
qualities  will  love  Him  because  they  are  drawn  toward 
Him  in  admiration  of  His  attributes. 

The  principles  of  kindness,  mercy,  and  love,  taught  and 
exemplified  by  our  Saviour,  are  a  transcript  of  the  will  and 
character  of  God.  Christ  declared  that  He  taught  nothing 
except  that  which  He  had  received  from  His  Father.  The 
principles  of  the  divine  government  are  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  Saviour's  precept,  "Love  your  enemies."  God 
executes  justice  upon  the  wicked,  for  the  good  of  the  uni- 

»Eph.  5:5,  A.E.  V.  '  Heb.  12:14.  «  Rev.  22:14,  15. 

*Ex.  34:6,  7.  »Ps.  145:20;  37:38. 


542  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

verse,  and  even  for  the  good  of  those  upon  Avhom  His 
judgments  are  visited.  He  would  make  them  happy  if  He 
could  do  so  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  His  government 
and  the  justice  of  His  character.  He  surrounds  them  with 
the  tokens  of  His  love,  He  grants  them  a  knowledge  of 
His  law,  and  follows  them  with  the  offers  of  His  mercy; 
but  they  despise  His  love,  make  void  His  law,  and  reject 
His  mercy.  While  constantly  receiving  His  gifts,  they  dis- 
honor the  Giver;  they  hate  God  because  they  knoAv  that  He 
abhors  their  sins.  The  Lord  bears  long  with  their  per- 
versity; bat  the  decisive  hour  will  come  at  last,  when  their 
destiny  is  to  be  decided.  Will  He  then  chain  these  rebels 
to  His  side?     Will  He  force  them  to  do  His  will? 

Those  who  have  chosen  Satan  as  their  leader,  and  have 
been  controlled  by  his  power,  are  not  prepared  to  enter  the 
presence  of  God.  Pride,  deception,  licentiousness,  cruelty, 
have  become  fixed  in  their  characters.  Can  they  enter 
heaven,  to  dwell  forever  with  those  whom  they  despised 
and  hated  on  earth?  Truth  will  never  be  agreeable  to  a 
liar;  meekness  will  not  satisfy  self-esteem  and  pride;  purity 
is  not  acceptable  to  the  corrupt;  disinterested  love  does  not 
appear  attractive  to  the  selfish.  What  source  of  enjoj'ment 
could  heaven  offer  to  those  who  are  wholly  absorbed  in 
earthly  and  selfish  interests? 

Could  those  whose  lives  have  been  spent  in  rebellion 
against  God  be  suddenly  transported  to  heaven,  and  witness 
the  high,  the  holy  state  of  perfection  that  ever  exists  there, — 
every  soul  filled  with  love,  every  countenance  beaming  with 
joy,  enrapturing  music  in  melodious  strains  rising  in  honor 
of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  ceaseless  streams  of  light  flow- 
ing upon  tlie  redeemed  from  the  face  of  Him  who  sitteth 
upon  the  throne, —  could  those  whose  hearts  are  filled  with 
hatred  of  God,  of  truth  and  holiness,  mingle  "with  the 
heavenly  throng  and  join  their  songs  of  praise?  Could  they 
endure  the  glory  of  God  and  the  Lamb?  No,  no;  years  of 
probation  were  granted  them,  that  they  might  form  char- 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  543 

acters  for  heaven;  but  they  have  never  trained  the  mind  to 
love  purity;  they  have  never  learned  the  language  of 
heaven,  and  now  it  is  too  late.  A  life  of  rebellion  against 
God  has  unfitted  them  for  heaven.  Its  purity,  holiness,  and 
peace  would  be  torture  to  them;  the  glory  of  God  would  be 
a  consuming  fire.  They  would  long  to  llee  from  that  holy 
place.  They  would  welcome  destruction,  that  they  might 
be  hidden  from  the  face  of  Him  who  died  to  redeem  them. 
The  destiny  of  the  wicked  is  fixed  by  their  own  choice. 
Their  exclusion  from  heaven  is  voluntary  with  themselves, 
and  just  and  merciful  on  the  part  of  God. 

Like  the  waters  of  the  flood,  the  fires  of  the  great  day 
declare  God's  verdict  that  the  wicked  are  incurable.  They 
have  no  disposition  to  submit  to  divine  authority.  Their 
will  has  been  exercised  in  revolt;  and  when  life  is  ended, 
it  is  too  late  to  turn  the  current  of  their  thoughts  in  the 
opposite  direction,  too  late  to  turn  from  transgression  to 
obedience,   from  hatred  to  love. 

In  sparing  the  life  of  Cain  the  murderer,  God  gave  the 
world  an  example  of  what  would  be  the  result  of  per- 
mitting the  sinner  to  live,  to  continue  a  course  of  unbridled 
iniquity.  Through  the  influence  of  Cain's  teaching  and  ex- 
ample, multitudes  of  his  descendants  were  led  into  sin, 
until  "the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,"  and 
"every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only 
evil  continually."  "The  earth  also  was  corrupt  before  God, 
and  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence. ' ' ' 

In  mercy  to  tlie  world,  God  blotted  out  its  wicked  in- 
habitants in  Noah's  time.  In  mercy,  He  destroyed  the 
corrupt  dwellers  in  Sodom.  Tlirough  the  deceptive  power 
of  Satan,  the  workers  of  iniquity  obtain  sympathy  and 
admiration,  and  are  thus  constantly  leading  others  to  re- 
bellion. It  was  so  in  Cain's  and  in  Noah's  day,  and  in  the 
time  of  Abraham  and  Lot;  it  is  so  in  our  time.  It  is  in 
mercy  to  the  universe  that  God  will  finally  destroy  the 
rejecters  of  His  grace. 

'Gen.  6:5,  11, 


544  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

''The  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eter- 
nal life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. ' '  *  "While  life  is 
the  inheritance  of  the  righteous,  death  is  the  portion  of  the 
wicked,  Moses  declared  to  Israel,  "I  have  set  before  thee 
this  day  life  and  good,  and  death  and  evil.'"'  The  death 
referred  to  in  these  scriptures  is  not  that  pronounced  upon 
Adam,  for  all  mankind  suffer  the  penalty  of  his  trans- 
gression. It  is  the  "second  death"  that  is  placed  in  con- 
trast with  everlasting  life. 

In  consequence  of  Adam's  sin,  death  passed  upon  the 
whole  human  race.  All  alike  go  down  into  the  grave. 
And  through  the  provisions  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  all 
are  to  be  brought  '  forth  from  their  graves.  ' '  There  shall 
be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust;"  ^ 
"for  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive. ' '  *  But  a  distinction  is  made  between  the  two 
classes  that  are  brought  forth.  "All  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  His  voice,  and  shall  come  forth;  they  that  have 
done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and  they  that 
have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation."' 
They  who  have  been  "accounted  worthy"  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  life,  are  "blessed  and  holy."  "On  such  the  second 
death  hath  no  power. " "  But  those  who  have  not,  through 
repentance  and  faith,  secured  pardon,  must  receive  the 
penalty  of  transgression, — "the  wages  of  sin."  They  suffer 
punishment  varying  in  duration  and  intensity,  "according 
to  their  works,"  but  finally  ending  in  the  second  death. 
Since  it  is  impossible  for  God,  consistently  with  His  justice 
and  mercy,  to  save  the  sinner  in  his  sins,  He  deprives  him 
of  the  existence  which  his  transgressions  have  forfeited, 
and  of  which  he  has  proved  himself  unworthy.  Says  an 
inspired  writer,  "Yet  a  little  while,  and  the  wicked  shall 
not  be :  yea,  thou  shalt  diligently  consider  his  place,  and 
it  shall  not  be."     And  another  declares,  "They  shall  be  as 

^Eom.  6:23.        =*Deut.  30:15.        ^Acts  24:15.        *1  Cor.  15:22. 
"John  5:28,  29.  •Rev.  20:6. 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  545 

though  they  had  not  been. ' '  *  Covered  with  infamy,  they 
sink  into  hopeless,  eternal  oblivion. 

Thus  will  be  made  an  end  of  sin,  with  all  the  woe  and 
ruin  which  have  resulted  from  it.  Says  the  psalmist :  ' '  Thou 
hast  destroyed  the  wicked,  Thou  hast  put  out  their  name 
forever  and  ever.  0  thou  enemy,  destructions  are  come  to 
a  perpetual  end.  "^  John,  in  the  Revelation,  looking  for- 
ward to  the  eternal  state,  hears  a  universal  anthem  of 
praise,  undisturbed  ])y  one  note  of  discord.  Every  creature 
in  heaven  and  earth  was  heard  ascribing  glory  to  God.* 
There  will  then  be  no  lost  souls  to  blaspheme  God,  as  they 
writhe  in  never-ending  torment;  no  wretched  beings  in  hell 
will  mingle  their  shrieks  with  the  songs  of  the  saved. 

Upon  the  fundamental  error  of  natural  immortality  rests 
the  doctrine  of  consciousness  in  death, —  a  doctrine,  like 
eternal  torment,  opposed  to  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures, 
to  the  dictates  of  reason,  and  to  our  feelings  of  humanity. 
According  to  the  popular  belief,  the  redeemed  in  heaven  are 
acquainted  with  all  that  takes  place  on  the  earth,  and  es- 
pecially with  the  lives  of  the  friends  whom  they  have  left 
behind.  But  how  could  it  be  a  source  of  happiness  to  the 
dead  to  know  the  troubles  of  the  living,  to  witness  the  sins 
committed  by  their  own  loved  ones,  and  to  see  them  endur- 
ing all  the  sorrows,  disappointments,  and  anguish  of  life? 
How  much  of  heaven's  bliss  would  be  enjoyed  by  those 
who  were  hovering  over  their  friends  on  earth?  And  how 
utterly  revolting  is  the  belief  that  as  soon  as  the  breath 
leaves  the  body,  the  soul  of  the  impenitent  is  consigned  to 
the  flames  of  hell !  To  what  depths  of  anguish  must  those 
be  plunged  who  see  their  friends  passing  to  the  grave  un- 
prepared, to  enter  upon  an  eternity  of  woe  and  sin !  Many 
have  been  driven  to  insanity  by  this  harrowing  thought.     '• 

What  say  the  Scriptures  concerning  tiiese  tilings?    David 

declares  that  man  is  not  conscious  in  death,     "llis  breath 

goetli  forth,  he  returneth  to  his  earth;  in  that  very  day  his 

thoughts    perish."*      Solomon    bears    the    same    testimony: 

'Pa.  37:10;  Obadiah  16.        =Ps.  9:5,  6.        "Rev.  5:13.      *  Ps.   146:4. 

18— O.C. 


546  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"The  living  know  that  they  shall  die:  but  the  dead  know 
not  anything."  "Their  love,  and  their  hatred,  and  their 
envy,  is  now  perished ;  neither  have  they  any  more  a  por- 
tion forever  in  anything  that  is  done  under  the  sun." 
"There  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom, 
in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest."* 

When,  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  Hezekiah's  life  was  pro- 
longed fifteen  years,  the  grateful  king  rendered  to  God  a 
tribute  of  praise  for  His  great  mercy.  In  this  song  he  tells 
the  reason  why  he  thus  rejoices:  "The  grave  cannot  praise 
Thee,  death  cannot  celebrate  Thee:  they  that  go  down  into 
the  pit  cannot  hope  for  Thy  truth.  The  living,  the  living, 
he  shall  praise  Thee,  as  I  do  this  day. ' ' '  Popular  theology 
represents  the  righteous  dead  as  in  heaven,  entered  into 
bliss,  and  praising  God  with  an  immortal  tongue;  but 
Hezekiah  could  see  no  such  glorious  prospect  in  death. 
With  his  words  agrees  the  testimony  of  the  psalmist:  "In 
death  there  is  no  remembrance  of  Thee :  in  the  grave  who 
shall  give  Thee  thanks?"  "The  dead  praise  not  the  Lord, 
neither  any  that  go  down  into  silence. ' ' ' 

Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  declared  that  the  patri- 
arch David  "is  both  dead  and  buried,  and  his  sepulcher  is 
with  us  unto  this  day."  "For  David  is  not  ascended  into 
the  heavens."*  The  fact  that  David  remains  in  the  grave 
until  the  resurrection,  proves  that  the  righteous  do  not  go 
to  heaven  at  death.  It  is  only  tlirough  the  resurrection, 
and  by  virtue  of  the  fact  that  Christ  has  risen,  that  David 
can  at  last  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

And  said  Paul:  "If  the  dead  rise  not,  then  is  not  Christ 
raised:  and  if  Christ  be  not  raised,  your  faith  is  vain;  ye 
are  yet  in  your  sins.  Tlien  they  also  which  are  fallen  asleep 
in  Christ  are  perished. " "  If  for  four  thousand  years  the 
righteous  had  gone  directly  to  heaven  at  death,  how  could 
Paul  have  said  that  if  there  is  no  resurrection,  "they  which 

»Eccl.  9:5,6,  10.  « Isa.  38:18,  19.  '  Ps.  6:5;   115:17. 

*Act8  2:29,34.  *1  Cor,  15:16-18. 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  547 

are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  are  perished"?  No  resurrection 
would  be  necessary. 

The  martyr  Tyndale,  referring  to  the  state  of  the  dead, 
declared:  "I  confess  openly,  that  I  am  not  persuaded  that 
they  be  already  in  the  full  glory  that  Christ  is  in,  or  the 
elect  angels  of  God  are  in.  Neither  is  it  any  article  of  my 
faith;  for  if  it  were  so,  I  see  not  but  then  the  preaching  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  flesh  were  a  thing  in  vain.'" 

It  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  the  hope  of  immortal  bless- 
edness at  death  has  led  to  wide-spread  neglect  of  the  Bible 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  This  tendency  was  remarked 
by  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  who  said:  "The  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection appears  to  have  been  thought  of  much  more  con- 
sequence among  the  primitive  Christians  than  it  is  7iow! 
How  is  this?  The  apostles  were  continually  insisting  on 
it,  and  exciting  the  followers  of  God  to  diligence,  obedi- 
ence, and  cheerfulness  through  it.  And  their  successors 
in  the  present  day  seldom  mention  it !  So  apostles  preached, 
and  so  primitive  Christians  believed ;  so  we  preach,  and 
so  our  hearers  believe.  There  is  not  a  doctrine  in  the  gos- 
pel on  which  more  stress  is  laid ;  and  there  is  not  a  doctrine 
in  the  present  system  of  preaching  which  is  treated  with 
more  neglect!"* 

This  has  continued  until  the  glorious  truth  of  the  res- 
urrection has  been  almost  M'holly  obscured,  and  lost  sight 
of  by  the  Christian  world.  Thus  a  leading  religious  writer, 
commenting  on  the  words  of  Paul  in  1  Thess.  4 :  13-18, 
says:  "For  all  practical  purposes  of  comfort  the  doctrine 
of  the  blessed  immortality  of  the  righteous  takes  the  place 
for  us  of  any  doubtful  doctrine  of  the  Lord's  second 
coming.  At  our  death  the  Lord  comes  for  us.  That  is 
what  we  are  to  wait  and  watch  for.  The  dead  are  already 
passed  into  glory.  They  do  not  wait  for  the  trump  for 
their  judgment  and  blessedness." 

•Tyndale,  Wm.,  Preface  to  "New  Testament"  (ed.  1534).  Reprinted  in 
,    "British  Reformers— Tindal,  Frith,  Barnes,"  p.  349   (ed.  1830). 

■Commentary  on  the  New  Testament,  Vol.  II,  general  comments 
''"'  on  1  Corinthians  15,  par.  3. 


548  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

But  when  about  to  leave  His  disciples,  Jesus  did  not  tell 
them  that  they  would  soon  come  to  Him.  "I  go  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you,"  He  said.  "And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a 
place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  My- 
self. ' ' '  And  Paul  tells  us,  further,  that  ' '  the  Lord  Himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the 
Archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God:  and  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first :  then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain 
shall  be  caught  up  together  Avith  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the 
Lord."  And  he  adds,  "Comfort  one  another  with  these 
Avords. ' ' "  How  wide  the  contrast  between  these  words  ot 
comfort  and  those  of  the  Universalist  minister  previously 
quoted.  The  latter  consoled  the  bereaved  friends  with  the 
assurance,  that,  however  sinful  the  dead  might  have  been, 
when  he  breathed  out  his  life  here  he  was  to  be  received 
among  the  angels.  Paul  points  his  brethren  to  the  future 
coming  of  the  Lord,  when  the  fetters  of  the  tomb  shall 
be  broken,  and  the  "dead  in  Christ"  shall  be  raised  to 
eternal  life. 

Before  any  can  enter  the  mansions  of  the  blest,  their 
cases  must  be  investigated,  and  their  characters  and  their 
deeds  must  pass  in  review  before  God.  All  are  to  be  judged 
according  to  the  things  written  in  the  books,  and  to  be 
rewarded  as  their  works  have  been.  This  judgment  does 
not  take  place  at  death.  Mark  the  words  of  Paul:  "He 
hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the  which  He  will  judge  the  world 
in  righteousness  by  that  Man  whom  He  hath  ordained; 
whereof  He  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  He 
hath  raised  Him  from  the  dead. ' '  ^  Here  the  apostle  plainly 
stated  that  a  specified  time,  then  future,  had  been  fixed 
upon  for  the  judgment  of  the  world. 

Jude  refers  to  the  same  period:  "The  angels  which  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation.  He  hath 
reserved  in  everlasting  chains  imder  darkness  unto  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day."  And  again  he  quotes  the 
words  of  Enoch:  "Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thou- 
^ John  14:2,  3.  ^  1  Thess.  4:16-18.  "Acts  17:31. 


THE  FIRST  GREAT  DECEPTION  549 

sands  of  Hi,s  saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all."*  John 
declares  that  he  "saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before 
God;  and  the  books  were  opened;  .  .  .  and  the  dead  were 
judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in  the 
books. ' '  ■ 

But  if  the  dead  are  already  enjoying  the  bliss  of  heaven 
or  writhing  in  the  flames  of  hell,  what  need  of  a  future 
judgment?  The  teachings  of  God's  word  on  these  impor- 
tant points  are  neither  obscure  nor  contradictory;  they 
may  be  understood  by  common  minds.  But  what  candid 
mind  can  see  either  wisdom  or  justice  in  the  current  theory? 
"Will  the  righteous,  after  the  investigation  of  their  cases  at 
the  judgment,  receive  the  conunendation,  "Well  done,  thou 
good  and  faithful  servant,  .  .  .  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord, ' ' '  when  they  have  been  dwelling  in  His  pres- 
ence, perhaps  for  long  ages?  Are  the  wicked  summoned 
from  the  place  of  torment  to  receive  the  sentence  from  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth,  "Depart  from  Me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire"?'  Oh,  solemn  mockery!  shameful  impeach- 
ment of  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  God ! 

The  theory  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul  was  one  of 
those  false  doctrines  that  Rome,  borrowing  from  paganism, 
incorporated  into  the  religion  of  Christendom.  Martin 
Luther  classed  it  with  the  "monstrous  fables  that  form  part 
of  the  Roman  dunghill  of  decretals."'  Commenting  on  the 
words  of  Solomon  in  Ecclesiastes,  tliat  the  dead  know  not 
anything,  the  Reformer  says:  "Another  place  proving  that 
the  dead  have  no  .  .  .  feeling.  There  is,  saith  he,  no  duty, 
no  science,  no  knowledge,  no  wisdom  there.  Solomon  judg- 
eth  that  the  dead  are  asleep,  and  feel  nothing  at  all.  For 
the  dead  lie  there,  accounting  neither  days  nor  years,  but 
when  they  are  awaked,  they  shall  seem  to  have  slept  scarce 
one  minute."  ^ 

Nowhere  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  is  found  the  statement 
that  the  righteous  go  to  their  reward  or  the  wicked  to  their 

'  Jude  6,  14,  15.  'Rev.  20:12.  'Matt.  25:21,  41. 

*Petavel,   E.,   "The  Problem   of  Immortality,"  p.   255    (ed.   1892). 

•Luther's    "Exposition    of    Solomon's    Booke    Called    Ecclesiastes," 

p.  152   (ed.  1573,  London). 


550  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

punishment  at  death.  The  patriarchs  and  prophets  have 
left  no  such  assurance.  Christ  and  His  apostles  have  given 
no  hint  of  it.  The  Bible  clearly  teaches  that  the  dead  do 
not  go  immediately  to  heaven.  They  are  represented  as 
sleeping  until  the  resurrection.*  In  the  very  day  when  the 
silver  cord  is  loosed  and  the  golden  bowl  broken,^  man's 
thoughts  perish.  They  that  go  down  to  the  grave  are  in 
silence.  They  know  no  more  of  anything  that  is  done  under 
the  sun.'  Blessed  rest  for  the  weary  righteous!  Time,  be 
it  long  or  short,  is  but  a  moment  to  them.  They  sleep ;  they 
are  awakened  by  the  trump  of  God  to  a  glorious  immor- 
tality. "For  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruptible.  ...  So  when  this  corruptible  shall 
have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put 
on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying 
that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."*  As 
they  are  called  forth  from  their  deep  slumber,  they  begin 
to  think  just  where  they  ceased.  The  last  sensation  was 
the  pang  of  death,  the  last  thought  that  they  were  falling 
beneath  the  power  of  the  grave.  When  they  arise  from  the 
tomb,  their  first  glad  thought  will  be  echoed  in  the  tri- 
umphal shout,  "0  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  0  grave, 
where  is  thy  \'ictory?"* 

»1  Thess.  4:14;  Job  H:  10-12.  ^Eecl.  12:6.  'Job  14:21. 

*1  Cor.  15:52-55. 


SPIRITUALISM -34 

The  ministration  of  holy  angels,  as  presented  in  the 
Scriptures,  is  a  truth  most  comforting  and  precious  to  every 
follower  of  Christ.  But  the  Bible  teaching  upon  this  point 
has  been  obscured  and  perverted  by  the  errors  of  popular 
theology.  The  doctrine  of  natural  immortality,  first  bor- 
rowed from  the  pagan  philosophy,  and  in  the  darkness  of 
the  great  apostasy  incorporated  into  the  Christian  faith, 
has  supplanted  the  truth,  so  plainly  taught  in  Scripture, 
that  "the  dead  know  not  anything."  Multitudes  have  come 
to  believe  that  it  is  the  spirits  of  the  dead  who  are  the 
"ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who 
shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."  And  this  notwithstanding  the 
testimony  of  Scripture  to  the  existence  of  heavenly  angels, 
and  their  connection  with  the  history  of  man,  before  the 
death  of  a  human  being. 

The  doctrine  of  man's  consciousness  in  death,  especially 
the  belief  that  the  spirits  of  the  dead  return  to  minister  to 
the  living,  has  prej)ared  the  way  for  modern  Spiritualism. 
If  the  dead  are  admitted  to  the  presence  of  God  and  holy 
angels,  and  privileged  with  knowledge  far  exceeding  what 
they  before  possessed,  why  should  they  not  return  to  the 
earth  to  enlighten  and  instruct  the  living?  If,  as  taught 
by  popular  theologians,  the  spirits  of  the  dead  are  hovering 
about  their  friends  on  earth,  why  should  they  not  be  per- 
mitted to   communicate   with   them,   to   warn   them  against 

(551) 


552  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

evil,  or  to  comfort  them  in  sorrow?  How  can  those  who 
believe  in  man's  consciousness  in  death  reject  what  comes 
to  them  as  divine  light  communicated  by  glorified  spirits? 
Here  is  a  channel  regarded  as  sacred,  through  which  Satan 
works  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purposes.  The  fallen 
angels  who  do  his  bidding  appear  as  messengers  from  the 
spirit  world.  While  professing  to  bring  the  living  into 
communication  with  the  dead,  the  prince  of  evil  exercises 
his  bewitching  influence  upon  their  minds. 

He  has  power  to  bring  before  men  the  appearance  of 
their  departed  friends.  The  counterfeit  is  perfect ;  the  famil- 
iar look,  the  words,  the  tone,  are  reproduced  with  marvelous 
distinctness.  Many  are  comforted  with  the  assurance  that 
their  loved  ones  are  enjoying  the  bliss  of  heaven;  and 
without  suspicion  of  danger,  they  give  ear  to  "seducing 
spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils." 

When  they  have  been  led  to  believe  that  the  dead  actu- 
ally return  to  communicate  wdth  them,  Satan  causes  those 
to  appear  who  went  into  tlie  grave  unprepared.  They  claim 
to  be  happy  in  heaven,  and  even  to  occupy  exalted  posi- 
tions there ;  and  thus  the  error  is  widely  taught,  that  no 
difference  is  made  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked. 
The  pretended  visitants  from  the  world  of  spirits  sometimes 
utter  cautions  and  warnings  which  prove  to  be  correct. 
Then,  as  confidence  is  gained,  they  present  doctrines  that 
directly  undermine  faith  in  the  Scriptures.  With  an  ap- 
pearance of  deep  interest  in  the  well-being  of  their  friends 
on  earth,  they  insinuate  the  most  dangerous  errors.  The 
fact  that  they  state  some  truths,  and  are  able  at  times  to 
foretell  future  events,  gives  to  their  statements  an  appear- 
ance of  reliability;  and  their  false  teachings  are  accepted 
by  the  multitudes  as  readily,  and  believed  as  implicitly,  as 
if  they  were  the  most  sacred  truths  of  the  Bible.  The  law 
of  God  is  set  aside,  the  Spirit  of  grace  despised,  the  blood 
of  the  covenant  counted  an  unholy  thing.  The  spirits  deny 
the  deity  of  Christ,  and  place  pven  the  Creator  on  a  level 
with  themselves.    Thus  under  a  new  disguise  the  great  rebel 


SPIRITUALISM  553 

still  carries  on  his  warfare  against  God,  bogun  in  heaven, 
and  for  nearly  six  thousand  years  continued  upon  the  earth. 

Many  endeavor  to  account  for  spiritual  manifestations 
by  attributing  them  wholly  to  fraud  and  sleight  of  hand  on 
the  part  of  the  medium.  But  while  it  is  true  that  the  re- 
sults of  trickery  have  often  been  palmed  off  as  genuine 
manifestations,  there  have  been,  also,  marked  exhibitions 
of  supernatural  power.  The  mysterious  rapping  with  which 
modern  Spiritualism  began  was  not  the  result  of  human 
trickery  or  cunning,  but  was  the  direct  work  of  evil  angels, 
who  thus  introduced  one  of  the  most  successful  of  soul- 
destroying  delusions.  Many  will  be  ensnared  through  the 
belief  that  Spiritualism  is  a  merely  human  imposture; 
when  brought  face  to  face  with  manifestations  which  they 
cannot  but  regard  as  supernatural,  they  will  be  deceived, 
and  will  be  led  to  accept  them  as  the  great  power  of  God. 

These  persons  overlook  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures 
concerning  the  wonders  wrought  by  Satan  and  his  agents. 
It  was  by  satanic  aid  that  Pharaoh's  magicians  were  en- 
abled to  counterfeit  the  work  of  God.  Paul  testifies  that 
before  the  second  advent  of  Christ  there  will  be  similar 
manifestations  of  satanic  power.  The  coming  of  the  Lord 
is  to  be  preceded  by  "the  working  of  Satan  with  all  power 
and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  deceivableness 
of  unrighteousness."^  And  the  apostle  John,  describing  the 
miracle-working  power  that  will  be  manifested  in  the  last 
days,  declares:  "He  doolh  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh 
fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight 
of  men,  and  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by 
the  means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do. "^ 
No  mere  impostures  arc  here  foretold.  Men  are  deceived 
by  the  miracles  which  Satan's  agents  have  power  to  do,  not 
which  they  pretend  to  do. 

The  prince  of  darkness,  wlio  has  so  long  bent  the  powers 
of  his  master-mind  to  the -work  of  deception,  skilfully  adapts 
his  temptations  to  men  of  all  classes  and  conditions.  To  per- 
»2  Theas.  2:9,  10.  ^'Rev.  13:13,  14. 


554  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

sons  of  culture  and  refinement  he  presents  Spiritualism  in 
its  more  refined  and  intellectual  aspects,  and  thus  succeeds 
in  drawing  many  into  his  snare.  The  wisdom  which  Spir- 
itualism imparts  is  that  described  by  the  apostle  James, 
which  "descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual, 
devilish."^  This,  however,  the  great  deceiver  conceals,  when 
concealment  will  best  suit  his  purpose.  He  who  could  ap- 
pear clothed  with  the  brightness  of  the  heavenly  seraphs 
before  Christ  in  the  wilderness  of  temptation,  comes  to  men 
in  the  most  attractive  manner,  as  an  angel  of  light.  He 
appeals  to  the  reason  by  the  presentation  of  elevating 
themes;  he  delights  the  fancy  with  enrapturing  scenes;  and 
he  enlists  the  affections  by  his  eloquent  portrayals  of  love 
and  charity.  He  excites  the  imagination  to  lofty  flights, 
leading  men  to  take  so  great  pride  in  their  own  wisdom 
that  in  their  hearts  they  despise  the  Eternal  One.  That 
miglity  being  who  could  take  the  world's  Redeemer  to  an 
exceedingly  high  mountain,  and  bring  before  Him  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth  and  the  glory  of  them,  will  present 
his  temptations  to  men  in  a  manner  to  pervert  the  senses 
of  all  who  are  not  shielded  by  divine  power. 

Satan  beguiles  men  now  as  he  beguiled  Eve  in  Eden,  by 
flattery,  by  kindling  a  desire  to  obtain  forbidden  knowledge, 
by  exciting  ambition  for  self-exaltation.  It  was  cherishing 
these  evils  that  caused  his  fall,  and  through  them  he  aims 
to  compass  the  ruin  of  men.  "Ye  shall  be  as  gods,"  he 
declares,  "knowing  good  and  evil.'"'  Spiritualism  teaches 
"that  man  is  the  creature  of  progression;  that  it  is  his 
destiny  from  his  birth  to  progress,  even  to  eternity,  toward 
the  Godhead."  And  again:  "Each  mind  will  judge  itself 
and  not  another."  "The  judgment  will  be  right,  because 
it  is  the  judgment  of  self.  .  .  .  The  throne  is  within  you." 
Said  a  Spiritualistic  teacher,  as  the  "spiritual  conscious- 
ness" awoke  within  him,  "My  fellow-men,  all  were  unf alien 
demigods."  And  another  declares,  "Any  just  and  perfect 
being  is  Christ." 

*  James  3:15.  »Gen.  3:5. 


SPIRITUALISM  555 

Thus,  in  place  of  the  righteousness  and  perfection  of 
the  infinite  God,  the  true  object  of  adoration;  in  place 
of  the  perfect  righteousness  of  His  law,  the  true  standard 
of  human  attainment,  Satan  has  substituted  the  sinful, 
erring  nature  of  man  himself,  as  the  only  object  of  adora- 
tion, the  only  rule  of  judgment,  or  standard  of  character. 
This  is  progress,  not  upward,  but  downward. 

It  is  a  law  both  of  the  intellectual  and  the  spiritual 
nature,  that  by  beholding,  we  become  changed.  The  mind 
gradually  adapts  itself  to  the  subjects  upon  which  it  is 
allowed  to  dwell.  It  becomes  assimilated  to  that  which  it 
is  accustomed  to  love  and  reverence.  Man  will  never  rise 
higher  than  his  standard  of  purity  or  goodness  or  truth. 
If  self  is  his  loftiest  ideal,  he  will  never  attain  to  anything 
more  exalted.  Rather,  he  will  constantly  sink  lower  and 
lower.  The  grace  of  God  alone  has  power  to  exalt  man. 
Left  to  himself,   his  course  must  inevitably  be  downward. 

To  the  self-indulgent,  the  pleasure-loving,  the  sensual, 
Spiritualism  presents  itself  under  a  less  subtle  disguise  than 
to  the  more  refined  and  intellectual ;  in  its  grosser  forms 
they  find  that  which  is  in  harmony  with  their  inclinations. 
Satan  studies  every  indication  of  the  frailty  of  human  na- 
ture, he  marks  the  sins  which  each  individual  is  inclined  to 
commit,  and  then  he  takes  care  that  opportunities  shall  not 
be  wanting  to  gratify  the  tendency  to  evil.  He  tempts  men 
to  excess  in  that  which  is  in  itself  lawful,  causing  them, 
through  intemperance,  to  w'eaken  physical,  mental,  and 
moral  power.  He  has  destroyed  and  is  destroying  thousands 
through  the  indulgence  of  the  passions,  thus  brutalizing  the 
entire  nature  of  man.  And  to  complete  his  work,  he  de- 
clares, through  the  spirits,  that  "true  knowledge  places  man 
above  all  law;'"*  that  "whatever  is,  is  right;"  that  "God 
doth  not  condemn;"  and  that  "all  sins  which  are  com- 
mitted are  innocent."  When  the  people  are  thus  led  to 
believe  that  desire  is  the  highest  law,  that  liberty  is  license, 
and  that  man  is  accountable  only  to  himself,  who  can 
wonder  that  corruption  and  depravity  teem  on  every  hand? 


556  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Multitudes  eagerly  accept  teachings  that  leave  them  at 
liberty  to  obey  the  promptings  of  the  carnal  heart.  The 
reins  of  self-control  are  laid  upon  the  neck  of  lust,  the 
powers  of  mind  and  soul  are  made  subject  to  the  animal 
propensities,  and  Satan  exultiugly  sweeps  into  his  net 
thousands  who  profess  to  be  followers  of   Christ. 

But  none  need  be  deceived  by  the  lying  claims  of  Spir- 
itualism. God  has  given  the  world  sufficient  light  to  enable 
them  to  discover  the  snare.  As  already  shown,  the  theory 
which  forms  the  very  foundation  of  Spiritualism  is  at  war 
with  the  plainest  statements  of  Scripture.  The  Bible  de- 
clares that  the  dead  know  not  anything,  that  their  thoughts 
have  perished;  they  have  no  part  in  anything  that  is  done 
under  the  sun;  they  know  nothing  of  the  joys  or  sor- 
rows of  those  who  were  dearest  to  them  on  earth. 

Furthermore,  God  has  expressly  forbidden  all  pretended 
communication  with  departed  spirits.  In  the  days  of  the 
Hebrews  there  was  a  class  of  people  who  claimed,  as  do  the 
Spiritualists  of  to-day,  to  hold  conmiunication  with  the  dead. 
But  the  "familiar  spirits,"  as  these  visitants  from  other 
worlds  were  called,  are  declared  by  the  Bible  to  be  the 
"spirits  of  devils.'"  The  work  of  dealing  with  familiar 
spirits  was  pronounced  an  abomination  to  the  Lord,  and 
was  solemnly  forbidden  under  penalty  of  death.^  The  very 
name  of  witchcraft  is  now  held  in  contempt.  The  clairai 
that  men  can  hold  intercourse  with  evil  spirits  is  regarded 
as  a  fable  of  the  Dark  Ages.  But  Spiritualism,  which  num- 
bers its  converts  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  yea,  by  mil- 
lions, which  has  made  its  way  into  scientific  circles,  which 
has  invaded  churches,  and  has  found  favor  in  legislative 
bodies,  and  even  in  the  courts  of  kings, —  this  mammoth  de- 
ception is  but  a  revival,  in  a  new  disguise,  of  the  witchcraft 
condemned  and  prohibited  of  old. 

If  there  were  no  other  evidence  of  the  real  character  of 
Spiritualism,  it  should  be  enough  for  the  Christian  that  the 
spirits  make   no   difference   between   righteousness   and   sin, 

*  Compare  Num.  25:1-3;  Ps.  106:28;  1  Cor.  10:20;  Rev.  16:14. 
=  Lev.  19:31;  20:27, 


SPIRITUALISM  557 

between  the  noblest  and  purest  of  the  apostles  of  Christ  and 
the  most  corrupt  of  the  servants  of  Satan.  By  representing 
the  basest  of  men  as  in  heaven,  and  highly  exalted  there, 
Satan  says  t6  the  world:  "No  matter  how  wicked  you  are; 
no  matter  whether  you  believe  or  disbelieve  God  and  the 
Bible.  Live  as  you  please;  heaven  is  your  home."  The 
Spiritualist  teachers  virtually  declare,  "Every  one  that 
doeth  evil  is  good  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  He  de- 
lighteth  in  them;  or,  Where  is  the  God  of  judgment?"' 
Saith  the  word  of  God,  "Woe  unto  them  that  call  evil 
good,  and  good  evil;  that  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light 
for  darkness. "  ^ 

The  apostles,  as  personated  by  these  lying  spirits,  are 
made  to  contradict  what  they  wrote  at  the  dictation  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  when  on  earth.  They  deny  the  divine  origin 
of  the  Bible,  and  thus  tear  away  the  foundation  of  the 
Christian's  hope,  and  put  out  the  light  that  reveals  the 
way  to  heaven.  Satan  is  making  the  world  believe  that 
the  Bible  is  a  mere  fiction,  or  at  least  a  book  suited  to  the 
infancy  of  the  race,  but  now  to  be  lightly  regarded,  or  cast 
aside  as  obsolete.  And  to  take  the  place  of  the  word  of 
God  he  holds  out  spiritual  manifestations.  Here  is  a  chan- 
nel wholly  under  his  control ;  by  this  means  he  can  make  the 
world  believe  what  he  will.  The  Book  that  is  to  judge  him 
and  his  followers  he  puts  in  the  shade,  just  where  he 
wants  it;  the  Saviour  of  the  world  he  makes  to  be  no  more 
than  a  common  man.  And  as  the  Roman  guard  that 
watched  the  tomb  of  Jesus  spread  the  lying  report  which 
the  priests  and  elders  put  into  their  mouths  to  disprove 
His  resurrection,  so  do  the  believers  in  spiritual  manifesta- 
tions try  to  make  it  appear  that  there  is  nothing  miracu- 
lous in  the  circumstances  of  our  Saviour's  life.  After  thus 
seeking  to  put  Jesus  in  the  background,  they  call  attention 
to  their  own  miracles,  declaring  that  these  far  exceed  the 
works  of  Christ. 

It  is  true  that  Spiritualism  is  now  changing  its  form, 
and,  veiling  some  of  its  more  objectionable  features,  is  as- 

»Mal.  2:17.  »lsa.  5:20. 


558  THE   GREAT  CONTROVEBSY 

suming  a  Christian  guise.  But  its  utterances  from  the  plat- 
form and  the  press  have  been  before  the  public  for  many 
years,  and  in  these  its  real  character  stands  revealed.  These 
teachings  cannot  be  denied  or  hidden. 

Even  in  its  present  form,  so  far  from  being  more  worthy 
of  toleration  than  formerly,  it  is  really  a  more  dangerous, 
because  a  more  subtle  deception.  While  it  formerly  de- 
nounced Christ  and  the  Bible,  it  now  professes  to  accept 
both.  But  the  Bible  is  interpreted  in  a  manner  that  is 
pleasing  to  the  unrenewed  heart,  while  its  solemn  and  vital 
truths  are  made  of  no  effect.  Love  is  dwelt  upon  as  the 
chief  attribute  of  God,  but  it  is  degraded  to  a  weak  senti- 
mentalism,  making  little  distinction  between  good  and  evil. 
God's  justice,  His  denunciations  of  sin,  the  requirements  of 
His  holy  law,  are  all  kept  out  of  sight.  The  people  are 
taught  to  regard  the  decalogue  as  a  dead  letter.  Pleasing, 
bewitching  fables  captivate  the  senses,  and  lead  men  to  re- 
ject the  Bible  as  the  foundation  of  their  faith.  Christ  is  as 
verily  denied  as  before;  but  Satan  has  so  blinded  the  eyes 
of  the  people  that  the  deception  is  not  discerned. 

There  are  few  who  have  any  just  conception  of  the  de- 
ceptive power  of  Spiritualism  and  the  danger  of  coming 
under  its  influence.  Many  tamper  with  it,  merely  to  gratify 
their  curiosity.  They  have  no  real  faith  in  it,  and  would 
be  filled  with  horror  at  the  thought  of  yielding  themselves 
to  the  spirits'  control.  But  they  venture  upon  the  forbidden 
ground,  and  the  mighty  destroyer  exercises  his  power  upon 
them  against  their  will.  Let  them  once  be  induced  to  sub- 
mit their  minds  to  his  direction,  and  he  holds  them  captive. 
It  is  impossible,  in  their  own  strength,  to  break  away  from 
the  bewitching,  alluring  spell.  Nothing  but  the  power  of 
God,  granted  in  answer  to  the  earnest  prayer  of  faith,  can 
deliver  these  ensnared  souls. 

All  who  indulge  sinful  traits  of  character,  or  wilfully 
cherish  a  known  sin,  are  inviting  the  temptations  of  Satan. 
They  separate  themselves  from  God  and  from  the  watch- 
care  of  His  angels;  as  the  evil  one  presents  his  deceptions, 


SPIRITUALISM  559 

they  are  without  defense,  and  fall  an  easy  prey.  Those 
who  thus  place  themselves  in  his  power,  little  realize  where 
their  course  will  end.  Having  achieved  their  overthrow, 
the  tempter  will  employ  them  as  his  agents  to  lure  others 
to  ruin. 

Says  the  prophet  Isaiah :  ' '  When  they  shall  say  unto 
you,  Seek  unto  them  that  have  familiar  spirits,  and  unto 
wizards  that  peep,  and  that  mutter:  should  not  a  people 
seek  unto  their  God?  for  the  living  to  the  dead?  To  the 
law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this 
word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them.  "^  If  men  had 
been  willing  to  receive  the  truth  so  plainly  stated  in  the 
Scriptures,  concerning  the  nature  of  man  and  the  state  of 
the  dead,  they  would  see  in  the  claims  and  manifestations 
of  Spiritualism  the  working  of  Satan  with  power  and  signs 
and  lying  wonders.  But  rather  than  yield  the  liberty  so 
agreeable  to  the  carnal  heart,  and  renounce  the  sins  which 
they  love,  multitudes  close  their  eyes  to  the  light,  and  walk 
straight  on,  regardless  of  warnings,  while  Satan  weaves  his 
snares  about  them,  and  they  become  his  prey.  "Because 
they  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be 
saved,"  therefore  "God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion, 
that  they  should  believe  a  lie."* 

Those  who  oppose  the  teachings  of  Spiritualism  are  as- 
sailing, not  men  alone,  but  Satan  and  his  angels.  They 
have  entered  upon  a  contest  against  principalities  and  pow- 
ers and  wicked  spirits  in  high  places.  Satan  will  not 
yield  one  inch  of  ground  except  as  he  is  driven  back  by  the 
power  of  heavenly  messengers.  The  people  of  God  should 
be  able  to  meet  him,  as  did  our  Saviour,  with  the  words, 
•'It  is  written."  Satan  can  quote  Scripture  now  as  in  the 
days  of  Christ,  and  he  will  pervert  its  teacliings  to  sustain 
his  delusions.  Those  who  would  stand  in  this  time  of  peril 
must  understand  for  themselves  the  testimony  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

•Isa.  8:19,  20.  »2  Thess.  2:10,  11. 


560  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

]\Iany  will  be  confronted  by  the  spirits  of  devils  person- 
ating beloved  relatives  or  friends,  and  declaring  the  most 
dangerous  heresies.  These  visitants  will  appeal  to  our  ten- 
derest  sympathies,  and  will  work  miracles  to  sustain  their 
pretensions.  We  must  be  prepared  to  withstand  them  with 
the  Bible  truth  that  the  dead  know  not  anything,  and  that 
they  who  thus  appear  are  the  spirits  of  devils. 

Just  before  us  is  the  "hour  of  temptation,  which  shall 
come  upon  all  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the 
earth. ' '  *  All  whose  faith  is  not  firmly  established  upon  the 
word  of  God  will  be  deceived  and  overcome.  Satan  "works 
with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness"  to  gain  control 
of  the  cliildren  of  men;  and  his  deceptions  will  continually 
increase.  But  he  can  gain  his  object  only  as  men  volun- 
tarily yield  to  his  temptations.  Those  who  are  earnestly 
seeking  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  are  striving  to  purify 
their  souls  through  obedience,  thus  doing  what  they  can  to 
prepare  for  the  conflict,  will  find,  in  the  God  of  truth,  a  sure 
defense.  "Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  My  pa- 
tience, I  also  will  keep  thee,"*  is  the  Saviour's  promise.  He 
would  sooner  send  every  angel  out  of  lieaven  to  protect  His 
people,  than  leave  one  soul  that  trusts  in  Him  to  be  over- 
come by  Satan. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  brings  to  view  the  fearful  deception 
which  will  come  upon  the  wicked,  causing  them  to  count 
themselves  secure  from  the  judgments  of  God:  "We  have 
made  a  covenant  with  death,  and  with  hell  are  we  at 
agreement;  when  the  overflowing  scourge  shall  pass  through, 
it  shall  not  come  unto  us :  for  we  have  made  lies  our  refuge, 
and  under  falsehood  have  we  hid  ourselves."^  In  the  class 
here  described  are  included  those  who  in  their  stubborn 
impenitence  comfort  themselves  with  the  assurance  that 
there  is  to  be  no  punishment  for  the  sinner;  that  all 
mankind,  it  matters  not  how  corrupt,  are  to  be  exalted  to 
heaven,  to  become  as  the  angels  of  God.  But  still  more 
emphatically  are  those  making  a  covenant  with  death  and 
^Rev.  3:X0.  'Isa.  28:15. 


I 


SPIRITUALISM  561 

an  agreement  with  hell,  who  renounce  the  truths  which 
Heaven  has  provided  as  a  defense  for  the  righteous  in 
the  day  of  trouble,  and  accept  the  refuge  of  lies  offered 
by  Satan  in  its  stead,— the  delusive  pretensions  of  Spirit- 
ualism. 

Marvelous  beyond  expression  is  the  blindness  of  the 
people  of  this  generation.  Thousands  reject  the  word  of 
God  as  unworthy  of  belief,  and  with  eager  confidence  re- 
ceive the  deceptions  of  Satan.  Skeptics  and  scoffers  de- 
nounce the  bigotry  of  those  who  contend  for  the  faith  of 
prophets  and  apostles,  and  they  divert  themselves  by  hold- 
ing up  to  ridicule  the  solemn  declarations  of  the  Scrip- 
tures concerning  Christ  and  the  plan  of  salvation,  and  the 
retribution  to  be  visited  upon  the  rejecters  of  the  truth. 
They  affect  great  pity  for  minds  so  narrow,  weak,  and 
superstitious  as  to  acknowledge  the  claims  of  God  and 
obey  the  requirements  of  His  law.  They  manifest  as  much 
assurance  as  if,  indeed,  they  had  made  a  covenant  with 
death  and  an  agreement  with  hell, —  as  if  they  had  erected 
an  impassable,  impenetrable  barrier  between  themselves  and 
the  vengeance  of  God.  Nothing  can  arouse  their  fears. 
So  fully  have  they  yielded  to  the  tempter,  so  closely  are 
they  united  with  him,  and  so  thoroughly  imbued  with  his 
spirit,  that  they  have  no  power  and  no  inclination  to  break 
away  from  his  snare. 

Satan  has  long  been  preparing  for  his  final  effort  to 
deceive  the  world.  The  foundation  of  his  work  was  laid  by 
the  assurance  given  to  Eve  in  Eden,  "Ye  shall  not  surely 
die."  "In  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil."* 
Little  by  little  he  has  prepared  the  way  for  his  masterpiece 
of  deception  in  the  development  of  Spiritualism.  He  has 
not  yet  reached  the  full  accomplishment  of  his  designs;  but 
it  will  be  reached  in  the  last  remnant  of  time.  Says  the 
prophet:  "I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs;  .  .  . 
they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go 

'Gen.  3:4,  5. 


562 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world,  to 
gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Al- 
mighty.'" Except  those  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of 
God,  through  faith  in  His  word,  the  whole  world  will  be 
swept  into  the  ranks  of  this  delusion.  The  people  are  fast 
being  lulled  to  a  fatal  security,  to  be  awakened  only  by 
the  outpouring  of  the  wrath  of  God. 

Saith  the  Lord  God:  "Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to  the 
line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet:  and  the  hail  shall 
sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall  overflow 
the  hiding-place.  And  your  covenant  with  death  shall  be 
disannulled,  and  your  agreement  with  hell  shall  not  stand; 
when  the  overflowing  scourge  sliall  pass  through,  then  ye 
shall  be  trodden  down  by  it."* 

»Eev.  16:13,  14.  »Isa.  28:17,  18. 


AIMS   OF  THE    PAPAGY-35 

Romanism  is  now  regarded  by  Protestants  with  far 
greater  favor  than  in  former  years.  In  those  countries  where 
Catholicism  is  not  in  the  ascendency,  and  the  papists  are 
taking  a  conciliatory  course  in  order  to  gain  influence,  there 
is  an  increasing  indifference  concerning  the  doctrines  that 
separate  the  reformed  churches  from  the  papal  hierarchy;  the 
opinion  is  gaining  ground,  that,  after  all,  we  do  not  differ 
so  widely  upon  vital  points  as  has  been  supposed,  and  that 
a  little  concession  on  our  part  will  bring  us  into  a  better 
understanding  with  Rome.  The  time  ,  was  when  Protes- 
tants placed  a  high  value  upon  the  liberty  of  conscience 
which  had  been  so  dearly  purchased.  They  taught  their 
children  to  abhor  popery,  and  held  that  to  seek  harmony 
with  Rome  would  be  disloyalty  to  God.  But  how  widely 
different  are  the  sentiments  now  expressed. 

The  defenders  of  the  papacy  declare  that  the  church  has 
been  maligned;  and  the  Protestant  world  are  inclined  to 
accept  the  statement.  Many  urge  that  it  is  unjust  to  judge 
the  church  of  to-day  by  the  abominations  and  absurdities 
that  marked  her  reign  during  the  centuries  of  ignorance  and 
darkness.  They  excuse  her  horrible  cruelty  as  the  result  of 
the  barbarism  of  the  times,  and  plead  that  the  influence 
of  modern   civilization  has   changed   her   sentiments. 

(563) 


564  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Have  these  persons  forgotten  the  claim  of  infallibility  put 
forth  for  eight  hundred  years  by  this  haughty  power?  So 
far  from  being  relinquished,  this  claim  was  affirmed  in  the 
nineteenth  century  with  greater  positiveness  than  ever  before. 
As  Rome  asserts  that  the  church  *' never  erred;  nor  will  it, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  ever  err,"^  how  can  she  renounce 
the  principles  which  governed  her  course  in  past  ages? 

The  papal  church  will  never  relinquish  her  claim  to  infal- 
libility. All  that  she  has  done  in  her  persecution  of  those 
who  reject  her  dogmas,  she  holds  to  be  right;  and  would  she 
not  repeat  the  same  acts,  should  the  opportunity  be  pre- 
sented? Let  the  restraints  now  imposed  by  secular  govern- 
ments be  removed,  and  Rome  be  re-instated  in  her  former 
power,  and  there  would  speedily  be  a  revival  of  her  tyranny 
and  persecution. 

A  well-known  writer  speaks  thus  of  the  attitude  of  thu 
papal  hierarchy  as  regards  freedom  of  conscience,  and  ot 
the  perils  which  especially  threaten  the  United  States  fi-om 
the  success  of  her  policy:  '.      '.'   .' 

"There  are  many  who  are  disposed  to  attribute  any' tear 
of  Roman  Catholicism  in  the  United  States  to  bigotry  or 
childishness.  Such  see  nothing  in  the  character  and  atti- 
tude of  Romanism  that  is  hostile  to  our  free  institutions,  or 
find  nothing  portentous  in  its  growth.  Let  us,  then,  first 
compare  some  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  govern- 
ment with  those  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

"The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  guarantees  lih- 
erty  of  conscience.  Nothing  is  dearer  or  more  fundamental. 
Pope  Pius  IX.,  in  his  Encyclical  Letter  of  August  15,  1854, 
said:  'The  absurd  and  erroneous  doctrines  or  ravings  in 
defense  -of  liberty  of  conscience,  are  a  most  pestilential 
error  —  a  pest,  of  all  others,  most  to  be  dreaded  in  a 
state.'  The  same  pope,  in  his  Encyclical  Letter  of  December 
8,  1864,  anathematized  'those  who  assert  the  liberty  of  eon- 
*Mosheim,  "Eccl.  Hist,"  b.  3,  cent.  11,  part  2,  ch.  2,  par.  9,  note  1. 


AIMS  OF  THE   PAPACY  565 

science  and  of  religious  worship,'  also  'all  such  as  maintain 
that  the  church  may  not  employ  force.' 

"The  pacific  tone  of  Rome  in  the  United  States  does  not 
imply  a  change  of  heart.  She  is  tolerant  where  she  is  help- 
less. Says  Bishop  O'Connor:  'Religious  liberty  is  merely 
endured  until  the  opposite  can  be  carried  into  effect  with- 
out peril  to  the  Catholic  world.'  .  „  .  The  archbishop  of 
St.  Louis  once  said:  'Heresy  and  unbelief  are  crimes;  and 
in .  Cliristian  countries,  as  in  Italy  and  Spain,  for  instance, 
where  all  the  people  are  Catholics,  and  where  the  Catholic 
religion  is  an  essential  part  of  the  law  of  the  land,  they  are 
punished  as  other  crimes.'  .  .  . 

"Every  cardinal,  archbishop,  and  bishop  in  tlie  Catholic 
Church  takes  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  pope,  in  which 
occur  the  following  words:  'Heretics,  schismatics,  and  rebels 
to  our  said  lord  (the  pope),  or  his  aforesaid  successors,  I 
mil  to  my  utmost  persecute  and  oppose. '  " ' 

It  is  true  that  there  are  real  Christians  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  communion.  Thousands  in  that  church  are  serving 
God  according  to  the  best  light  they  have.  They  are  not 
allowed  access  to  His  word,  and  therefore  they  do  not  dis- 
cern the  truth.  They  have  never  seen  the  contrast  between 
a  living  heart-service  and  a  round  of  mere  forms  and  cere- 
monies. God  looks  wdth  pitying  tenderness  upon  these 
souls,  educated  as  they  are  in  a  faith  that  is  delusive  and 
unsatisfying.  He  will  cause  rays  of  light  to  penetrate  the 
dense  darkness  that  surrounds  them.  He  will  reveal  to  them 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  many  will  yet  take  their 
position  with  His  people. 

But  Romanism  as  a  system  is  no  more  in  harmony  with 
tlie  gospel  of  Christ  now  than  at  any  former  x^eriod  in  her 
history.  The  Protestant  churches  are  in  great  darkness,  or 
they  would  discern  the  signs  of  the  times.  The  Roman 
Church  is  far-reaching  in  her  plans  and  modes  of  operation. 
She  is  employing  every  device  to  extend  her  influence  and 
increase  her  power  in  preparation  for  a  fierce  and  deter- 
*  Strong,  Dr.  Josiah,  "Our  Country,"  e'li.  5,  pars.  1-3. 


566  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

mined  conflict  to  regain  control  of  the  world,  to  re-establish 
persecution,  and  to  undo  all  that  Protestantism  has  done. 
Catholicism  is  gaining  ground  upon  every  side.  See  the 
increasing  number  of  her  churches  and  chapels  in  Protes- 
tant countries.  Look  at  the  popularity  of  her  colleges  and 
seminaries  in  America,  so  widely  patronized  by  Protestants. 
Look  at  the  growth  of  ritualism  in  England,  and  the  fre- 
quent defections  to  the  ranks  of  the  Catholics.  These  things 
should  awaken  the  anxiety  of  all  who  prize  the  pure  priii- 
ciples  of  the  gospel. 

Protestants  have  tampered  with  and  patronized  popery; 
they  have  made  compromises  and  concessions  which  papists 
themselves  are  surprised  to  see,  and  fail  to  understand.  Men 
are  closing  their  eyes  to  the  real  character  of  Romanism, 
and  the  dangers  to  be  apprehended  from  her  supremacy. 
The  people  need  to  be  aroused  to  resist  the  advances  of  this 
most  dangerous  foe  to  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

Many  Protestants  suppose  that  the  Catholic  religion  is 
unattractive,  and  that  its  worship  is  a  dull,  meaningless 
round  of  ceremony.  Here  they  mistake.  While  Romanism 
is  based  upon  deception,  it  is  not  a  coarse  and  clumsy  im- 
posture. The  religious  service  of  the  Roman  Church  is  a 
most  impressive  ceremonial.  Its  gorgeous  display  and  sol- 
emn rites  fascinate  the  senses  of  the  people,  and  silence  the 
voice  of  reason  and  of  conscience.  The  eye  is  charmed. 
Magnificent  churches,  imposing  processions,  golden  altars, 
jeweled  shrines,  choice  paintings,  and  exquisite  sculpture  ap- 
peal to  the  love  of  beauty.  The  ear  also  is  captivated.  The 
music  is  unsurpassed.  The  rich  notes  of  the  deep-toned 
organ,  blending  with  the  melody  of  many  voices  as  it  swells 
through  the  lofty  domes  and  pillared  aisles  of  her  grand 
cathedrals,  cannot  fail  to  impress  the  mind  with  awe  and 
reverence. 

This  outward  splendor,  pomp,  and  ceremony,  that  only 
mocks  the  longings  of  the  sin-sick  soul,  is  an  evidence  of  in- 
ward corruption.  The  religion  of  Christ  needs  not  such  at- 
tractions to  recommend  it.     In  the  light  shining  from  the  cross, 


AIMS   OF  THE  PAPACY  667 

true  Christianity  appears  so  pure  and  lovely  that  no  external 
decorations  can  enhance  its  true  worth.  It  is  the  beauty  of 
holiness,  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  of  value  with  God. 

Brilliancy  of  style  is  not  necessarily  an  index  of  pure, 
elevated  thought.  High  conceptions  of  art,  delicate  refine- 
ment of  taste,  often  exist  in  minds  that  are  earthly  and 
sensual.  They  are  often  employed  by  Satan  to  lead  men  to 
forget  the  necessities  of  the  soul,  to  lose  sight  of  the  future, 
immortal  life,  to  turn  away  from  their  infinite  Helper,  and 
to  live  for  this  world  alone. 

A  religion  of  externals  is  attractive  to  the  unrenewed 
heart.  The  pomp  and  ceremony  of  the  Catholic  worship 
has  a  seductive,  bewitching  power,  by  which  many  are  de- 
ceived; and  they  come  to  look  upon  the  Roman  Church  as 
the  very  gate  of  heaven.  None  but  those  who  have  planted 
their  feet  firmly  up(m  the  foundation  of  truth,  and  whose 
hearts  are  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  Cod,  are  proof  against 
her  influence.  Thousands  who  have  not  an  experimental 
knowledge  of  Christ  will  be  led  to  accept  the  forms  of 
godliness  without  the  power.  Such  a  religion  is  just  what 
the  multitudes  desire. 

The  church's  "claim  to  the  right  to  pardon,  leads  the 
Romanist  to  feel  at  liberty  to  sin;  and  the  ordinance  of 
confession,  without  which  her  pardon  is  not  granted,  tends 
also  to  give  license  to  evil.  He  who  kneels  before  fallen 
man,  and  opens  in  confession  the  secret  thoughts  and  imag- 
inations of  his  heart,  is  debasing  his  manhood,  and  degrad- 
ing every  noble  instinct  of  his  soul.  In  unfolding  the  sins  of 
his  life  to  a  priest, —  an  erring,  sinful  mortal,  and  too  often 
corrupted  with  wine  and  licentiousness, —  his  standard  of 
character  is  lowered,  and  he  is  defiled  in  consequence.  His 
thought  of  God  is  degraded  to  the  likeness  of  fallen  human- 
ity; for  the  priest  stands  as  a  representative  of  God.  This 
degrading  confession  of  man  to  man  is  the  secret  spring 
from  which  has  flowed  much  of  the  evil  that  is  defiling  the 
world,  and  fitting  it  for  the  final  destruction.  Yet  to  him 
who  loves  self-indulgence,  it  is  more  pleasing  to  confess  to  a 


568  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

fellow-mortal  than  to  open  the  soul  to  God.  It  is  more  pal- 
atable to  human  nature  to  do  penance  than  to  renounce  sin ; 
it  is  easier  to  mortify  the  flesh  by  sackcloth  and  nettles  and 
galling  chains  than  to  crucify  fleshly  lusts.  Heavy  is  the 
yoke  which  the  carnal  heart  is  willing  to  bear  rather  than 
bow  to  the  yoke  of  Christ. 

There  is  a  striking  similarity  between  the  Church  of 
Eome  and  the  Jewish  Church  at  the  time  of  Christ's  first 
advent.  While  the  Jews  secretly  trampled  upon  every  prin- 
ciple of  the  law  of  God,  they  were  outwardly  rigorous  in 
the  observance  of  its  precepts,  loading  it  down  with  exac- 
tions and  traditions  that  made  obedience  painful  and  bur- 
densome. As  the  Jews  professed  to  revere  the  law,  so  do 
Romanists  claim  to  reverence  the  cross.  They  exalt  the  sym- 
bol of  Christ's  sufferings,  while  in  their  lives  they  deny 
Him  whom  it  represents. 

Papists  place  crosses  upon  their  churches,  upon  their 
altars,  and  upon  their  garments.  Everywhere  is  seen  the 
insignia  of  the  cross.  P^verywhere  it  is  outwardly  honored 
and  exalted.  But  the  teachings  of  Christ  are  buried  beneath 
a  mass  of  senseless  traditions,  false  interpretations,  and 
rigorous  exactions.  The  Saviour's  words  concerning  the 
bigoted  Jews,  apply  with  still  greater  force  to  the  leaders 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church :  * '  They  bind  heavy  burdens 
and  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  lay  them  on  men's  shoulders; 
but  they  themselves  will  not  move  them  with  one  of  their 
fingers.'"  Conscientious  souls  are  kept  in  constant  terror, 
fearing  the  wrath  of  an  offended  God,  while  many  of  the 
dignitaries  of  the  church  are  living  in  luxury  and  sensual 
pleasure. 

The  worship  of  images  and  relics,  the  invocation  of  saints, 
and  the  exaltation  of  the  pope,  are  devices  of  Satan  to 
attract  the  minds  of  the  people  from  God  and  from  His 
Son.  To  accomplish  their  ruin,  he  endeavors  to  turn  their 
attention  from  Him  through  whom  alone  they  can  find 
salvation.  He  will  direct  them  to  any  object  that  can  be 
substituted   for   the   One   who   has   said,    "Come    unto   Me, 

^Matt.  23:4. 


k 


AIMS   OF  THE  PAPACY  569 

all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.'" 

It  is  Satan's  constant  effort  to  misrepresent  the  character 
of  God,  the  nature  of  sin,  and  the  real  issues  at  stake  in  the 
great  controversy.  His  sophistry  lessens  the  obligation  of 
the  divine  law,  and  gives  men  license  to  sin.  At  the  same 
time  he  causes  them  to  cherish  false  conceptions  of  God,  so 
that  they  regard  Him  with  fear  and  hate,  rather  than  with 
love.  The  cruelty  inherent  in  his  own  character  is  attrib- 
uted to  the  Creator;  it  is  embodied  in  systems  of  religion, 
and  expressed  in  modes  of  worship.  Thus  the  minds  of  men 
are  blinded,  and  Satan  secures  them  as  his  agents  to  war 
against  God.  By  perverted  conceptions  of  the  divine  attri- 
butes, heathen  nations  were  led  to  believe  human  sacrifices 
necessary  to  secure  the  favor  of  Deity ;  and  horrible  cruelties 
have  been  perpetrated  under  the  various  forms  of  idolatry. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  uniting  the  forms  of  pa- 
ganism and  Christianity,  and,  like  paganism,  misrepresent- 
ing the  character  of  God,  has  resorted  to  practices  no  less 
cruel  and  revolting.  In  the  days  of  Rome's  supremacy, 
there  were  instruments  of  torture  to  compel  assent  to  her 
doctrines.  There  was  the  stake  for  those  who  would  not 
concede  to  her  claims.  There  were  massacres  on  a  scale  that 
will  never  be  known  until  revealed  in  the  judgment.  Dig- 
nitaries of  the  church  studied,  under  Satan  their  master, 
to  invent  means  to  cause  the  greatest  possible  torture,  and 
not  end  the  life  of  their  victim.  In  many  cases  the  infernal 
process  was  repeated  to  the  utmost  limit  of  "human  endur- 
ance, until  nature  gave  up  the  struggle,  and  the  sufferer 
hailed  death  as  a  sweet  release. 

Such  was  the  fate  of  Rome's  opponents.  For  her  adherr 
ents  she  had  the  discipline  of  the  scourge,  of  famishing 
hunger,  of  bodily  austerities  in  every  conceivable,  heart- 
sickening  form.  To  secure  the  favor  of  Heaven,  penitents 
violated  the  laws  of  God  by  violating  the  laws  of  nature. 
They  were  taught  to  sunder  the  ties  which  He  has  formed 
to  bless  and  gladden  man's  earthly  sojourn.     The  chureh- 

»Matt.  11:28. 


570  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

yard  contains  millions  of  victims,  who  spent  their  lives  in 
vain  endeavors  to  subdue  their  natural  affections,  to  repress, 
as  offensive  to  God,  every  thought  and  feeling  of  sympathy 
with  their  fellow-creatures. 

If  we  desire  to  understand  the  determined  cruelty  of 
Satan,  manifested  for  hundreds  of  years,  not  among  those 
who  never  heard  of  God,  but  in  the  very  heart  and  through- 
out the  extent  of  Christendom,  we  have  only  to  look  at  the 
history  of  Romanism.  Through  this  mammoth  system  of 
deception  the  prince  of  evil  achieves  his  purpose  of  bringing 
dishonor  to  God  and  wretchedness  to  man.  And  as  we  see 
how  he  succeeds  in  disguising  himself,  and  accomplishing 
his  work  througli  the  leaders  of  the  church,  we  may  better 
understand  why  he  has  so  great  antipathy  to  the  Bible.  If 
that  book  is  read,  the  mercy  and  love  of  God  will  be  re- 
vealed; it  will  be  seen  that  lie  lays  upon  men  none  of  these 
heavy  burdens.  All  that  lie  asks  is  a  broken  and  contrite 
heart,  a  humble,  obedient  s[)int. 

Christ  gives  no  example  in  His  life  for  men  and  women 
to  shut  themselves  in  monasteries  in  order  to  become  fitted 
for  heaven.  lie  has  never  taught  that  love  and  sympathy 
must  be  repressed.  The  Saviour's  heart  overflowed  with 
love.  The  nearer  man  approaches  to  moral  perfection,  the 
keener  are  his  sensi))ilities,  the  more  acute  is  his  perception 
of  sin,  and  the  deeper  his  sympathy  for  the  afflicted.  The 
pope  claims  to  be  the  vicar  of  Christ;  but  how  does  his  char- 
acter bear  comparison  with  that  of  our  Saviour?  Was 
Christ  ever  known  to  consign  men  to  the  prison  or  the  rack 
because  they  did  not  pay  Him  homage  as  the  King  of 
heaven?  Was  Ilis  voice  heard  condemning  to  death  those 
who  did  not  accept  Him?  When  He  was  slighted  by  the 
people  of  a  Samaritan  village,  the  apostle  John  was  filled 
with  indignation,  and  inquired,  "Lord,  wilt  Thou  that  we 
command  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven,  and  consume  them, 
even  as  Elias  did?"  Jesus  looked  with  pity  upon  His  dis- 
ciple, and  rebuked  his  harsh  spirit,  saying,  "The  Son  of 
man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men 's  lives,  but  to  save  them. '  *  * 
*Luke  9:54,  56. 


AIMS   OF  THE  PAPACY  571 

How  different  from  the  spirit  manifested  by  Christ  is  that 
of  His  professed  vicar. 

The  Roman  Church  now  presents  a  fair  front  to  the 
world,  covering,  with  apologies  her  record  of  horrible  cruel- 
ties. She  has  clothed  herself  in  CHristlike  garments;  but 
she  is  unchanged.  Every  principle  of  the  papacy  that  ex- 
isted in  past  ages  exists  to-day.  The  doctrines  devised  in 
the  darkest  ages  are  still  held.  Let  none  deceive  themselves. 
The  papacy  that  Protestants  are  now  so  ready  to  honor  is 
the  same  that  ruled  the  world  in  the  days  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, when  men  of  God  stood  up,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives, 
to  expose  her  iniquity.  She  possesses  the  same  pride  and 
arrogant  assumption  that  lorded  it  over  kings  and  princes, 
and  claimed  the  prerogatives  of  God.  Her  spirit  is  no  less 
cruel  and  despotic  now  than  when  she  crushed  out  human 
liberty,  and  slew  the  saints  of  the  Most  High. 

The  papacy  is  just  what  prophecy  declared  that  she 
would  be,  the  apostasy  of  the  latter  times.  *  It  is  a  part  of 
her  policy  to  assume  the  character  which  will  best  accom- 
plish her  purpose;  but  beneath  the  variable  appearance  of 
the  chameleon,  she  conceals  the  invariable  venom  of  the 
serpent.  "Faith  ought  not  to  be  kept  with  heretics,  nor 
persons  suspected  of  heresy,"^  she  declares.  Shall  this 
power,  whose  record  for  a  thousand  years  is  written  in  the 
blood  of  the  saints,  be  now  acknowledged  as  a  part  of  the 
church  of  Christ? 

It  is  not  without  reason  that  the  claim  has  been  put 
forth  in  Protestant  countries,  that  Catholicism  differs  less 
widely  from  Protestantism  than  in  former  times.  There  has 
been  a  change;  but  the  change  is  not  in  the  papacy.  Ca- 
tholicism indeed  resembles  much  of  the  Protestantism  that 
now  exists;  because  Protestantism  has  so  greatly  degen- 
erated since  the  days  of  the  Reformers. 

As  the  Protestant  churches  have  been  seeking  the  favor 
of  the  world,  false  charity  has  blinded  their  eyes.  They  do 
not  see  but  that  it  is  right  to  believe  good  of  all  evil;  and 

*2  Thess.  2:3,  4.  'Lenfant,  "History  of  the  Council  of 

Constance,"  Vol.  I,  p.  516  (ed.  1728). 


572  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

as  the  inevitable  result,  they  will  finally  believe  evil  of  all 
good.  Instead  of  standing  in  defense  of  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  they  are  now,  as  it  were,  apologizing 
to  Rome  for  their  uncharitable  opinion  of  her,  begging 
pardon  for  their  bigotry. 

A  large  class,  even  of  those  who  look  upon  Romanism 
with  no  favor,  apprehend  little  danger  from  her  power  and 
influence.  Many  urge  that  the  intellectual  and  moral  dark- 
ness prevailing  during  the  Middle  Ages  favored  the  spread 
of  her  dogmas,  superstitions,  and  oppression,  and  that  the 
greater  intelligence  of  modern  times,  the  general  diffusion  of 
knowledge,  and  the  increasing  liberality  in  matters  of  re- 
ligion, forbid  a  revival  of  intolerance  and  tyranny.  The 
very  thought  that  such  a  state  of  things  will  exist  in  this 
enlightened  age  is  ridiculed.  It  is  true  that  great  light, 
intellectual,  moral,  and  religious,  is  shining  upon  this  gen- 
eration. In  the  open  pages  of  God's  holy  M^ord,  light 
from  heaven  has  been  shed  upon  the  world.  But  it  should 
be  remembered  that  the  greater  the  light  bestowed,  the 
greater  the  darkness  of  those  who  pervert  or  reject  it. 

A  prayerful  study  of  the  Bible  would  show  Protestants 
the  real  character  of  the  papacy,  and  would  cause  them  to 
abhor  and  to  shun  it;  but  many  are  so  wse  in  their  own 
conceit  that  they  feel  no  need  of  humbly  seeking  God  that 
they  may  be  led  into  the  truth.  Although  priding  them- 
selves on  their  enlightenment,  they  are  ignorant  both  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  the  power  of  God.  They  must  have  some 
means  of  quieting  their  consciences;  and  they  seek  that 
which  is  least  spiritual  and  humiliating.  What  they  desire 
is  a  method  of  forgetting  God  which  shall  pass  as  a  method 
of  remembering  Him.  The  papacy  is  well  adapted  to  meet 
the  wants  of  all  these.  It  is  prepared  for  two  classes  of 
mankind,  embracing  nearly  the  whole  world, —  those  who 
would  be  saved  by  their  merits,  and  those  who  would  be 
saved  in  their  sins.     Here  is  the  secret  of  its  power. 

A  day  of  great  intellectual  darkness  has  been  shown  to 
be  favorable  to  the  success  of  the  papacy.     It  will  yet  be 


ABIS   OF  THE  PAPACY  573 

demonstrated  that  a  day  of  great  intellectual  light  is  equally 
favorable  for  its  success.  In  past  ages,  when  men  were 
without  God's  w^ord,  and  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  their  eyes  were  blindfolded,  and  thousands  were  en- 
snared, not  seeing  the  net  spread  for  their  feet.  In  this 
generation  there  are  many  whose  eyes  become  dazzled  by  the 
glare  of  human  speculations,  "science  falsely  so  called;" 
they  discern  not  the  net,  and  walk  into  it  as  readily  as  if 
blindfolded.  God  designed  that  man's  intellectual  powers 
should  be  held  as  a  gift  from  his  Maker,  and  should  be 
employed  in  the  service  of  truth  and  righteousness;  but 
when  pride  and  ambition  are  cherished,  and  men  exalt 
their  own  theories  above  the  word  of  God,  then  intelligence 
can  accomplish  greater  harm  than  ignorance.  Thus  the 
false  science  of  the  present  day,  which  undermines  faith 
in  the  Bible,  will  prove  as  successful  in  preparing  the  way 
for  the  acceptance  of  the  papacy,  with  its  pleasing  forms, 
as  did  the  withholding  of  knowledge  in  opening  the  way 
for  its  aggrandizement  in  the  Dark  Ages. 

In  the  movements  now  in  progress  in  the  United  States 
to  secure  for  the  institutions  and  usages  of  the  church  the 
support  of  the  state,  Protestants  are  following  in  the  steps 
of  papists.  Nay,  more,  they  are  opening  the  door  for  the 
papacy  to  regain  in  Protestant  America  the  supremacy 
which  she  has  lost  in  the  Old  World.  And  that  which  gives 
greater  significance  to  this  movement  is  the  fact  that  the 
principal  object  contemplated  is  the  enforcement  of  Sunday 
observance, —  a  custom  which  originated  with  Rome,  and 
which  she  claims  as  the  sign  of  her  authority.  It  is  the 
spirit  of  the  papacy, —  the  spirit  of  conformity  to  worldly 
customs,  the  veneration  for  human  traditions  above  the 
commandments  of  God, —  that  is  permeating  the  Protestant 
churches,  and  leading  them  on  to  do  the  same  work  of  Sun- 
day exaltation  which  the  papacy  has  done  before  them. 

If  the  reader  would  understand  the  agencies  to  be  em- 
ployed in  the  soofi-coming  contest,  li"  li;is  T)ut  to  trace 
the   record   of   the  .means   whicli    Ivunif    eiujiluved    for    the 

—^ III  II  II II  11  —■—■•fin  aTii  I 


574  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

same  object  in  ages  past.  If  he  would  know  how  papists 
and  Protestants  united  will  deal  with  those  who  reject 
their  dogmas,  let  him  see  the  spirit  which  Rome  manifested 
toward  the  Sabbath  and  its  defenders. 

Royal  edicts,  general  councils,  and  church  ordinances 
sustained  by  secular  power,  were  the  steps  by  which  the 
pagan  festival  attained  its  position  of  honor  in  the  Chris- 
tian world.  The  first  public  measure  enforcing  Sunday  ob- 
servance was  the  law  enacted  T>y  Constantine.'  This  edict 
required  townspeople  to  rest  uu  "the  venerable  da,y_j)f  the 
sun,"  but  permitted  countrymen  to  continue  their  agricul- 
tural pursuits.  Though  virtually  a  heathen  statute,  it  was 
enforced  by  the  emperor  after  his  nominal  acceptance  of 
Christianity. 

The  royal  mandate  not  proving  a  sufficient  substitute  for 
divine  authority,  Eusebius,  a  bishop  who  sought  the  favor 
of  princes,  and  who  was  the  special  friend  and  flatterer  of 
Constantine,  advanced  the  claim  that  Christ  had  transferred 
the  Sabbath  to  Sunday.  Not  a  single  testimony  of  the 
Scriptures  was  produced  in  proof  of  the  new  doctrine. 
Eusebius  himself  unwittingly  acknowledges  its  falsity,  and 
points  to  the  real  authors  of  the  change.  "All  things,"  he 
says,  "whatever  that  it  was  duty  to  do  on  the  Sabbath, 
these  u'C  have  transferred  to  the  Lord's  day,""  But  the  Sun- 
day argument,  groundless  as  it  was,  served  to  embolden  men 
in  trampling  upon  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord.  All  who  desired 
to  be  honored  by  the  world  accepted  the  popular  festival. 

As  the  papacy  became  firmly  established,  the  work  of 
Sunday  exaltation  was  continued.  For  a  time  the  people  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  labor  when  not  attending  church,  and 
the  seventh  day  was  still  regarded  as  the  Sabbath.  But 
steadily  a  change  was  effected.  Those  in  holy  office  were 
forbidden  to  pass  judgment  in  any  civil  controversy  on  the 
Sunday.  Soon  after,  all  persons,  of  whatever  rank,  were 
commanded  to  refrain  from  common  labor,  on  pain  of  a  fine 

^A.  T>.  321;  see  Appendix.  .•<itr<«;*»*rv  > 

^Cox,  R.,  "Sabbath  Laws  and  Sabbath  Duties,"  p.  538  (ed.  1853). 


AIMS   OF  THE  PAPACY  575 

for  freemen,  and  stripes  in  the  case  of  servants.  Later  it 
was  decreed  that  rich  men  should  be  punished  with  the  loss 
of  half  of  their  estates;  and  finally,  that  if  still  obstinate 
they  should  be  made  slaves.  The  lower  classes  were  to 
suffer  perpetual  banishment. 

Miracles  also  were  called  into  requisition.  Among  other 
wonders  it  was  reported  that  as  a  husbandman  who  was 
about  to  plow  his  field  on  Sunday,  cleaned  his  plow  with 
an  iron,  the  iron  stuck  fast  in  his  hand,  and  for  two  years 
he  carried  it  about  with  him,  "to  his  exceeding  great  pain 
and  shame. ' '  ^ 

Later,  the  pope  gave  directions  that  the  parish  priest 
should  admonish  the  violators  of  Sunday,  and  wish  them 
to  go  to  church  and  say  their  prayers,  lest  they  bring  some 
great  calamity  on  themselves  and  neighbors.  An  ecclesi- 
astical council  brought  forward  the  argument,  since  so 
widely  employed,  even  by  Protestants,  that  because  persons 
had  been  struck  by  lightning  while  laboring  on  Sunday,  it 
must  be  the  Sabbath.  "It  is  apparent,"  said  the  prelates, 
"how  high  the  displeasure  of  God  was  upon  their  neglect 
of  this  day."  An  appeal  was  then  made  that  priests  and 
ministers,  kings  and  princes,  and  all  faithful  people,  "use 
their  utmost  endeavors  and  care  that  the  day  be  restored 
to  its  honor,  and,  for  the  credit  of  Christianity,  more  de- 
voutly observed  for  the  time  to  come. ' '  ^ 

The  decrees  of  councils  proving  insufficient,  the  secular 
authorities  were  besought  to  issue  an  edict  that  would  strike 
terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  force  them  to  refrain 
from  labor  on  the  Sunday.  At  a  synod  held  in  Rome,  all 
previous  decisions  were  reaffirmed  with  greater  force  and 
solemnity.  They  were  also  incorporated  into  the  ecclesi- 
astical law,  and  enforced  by  the  civil  authorities  through- 
out nearly  all  Christendom.' 

*West,  Francis,  "Historical  and  Practical  Discourse  on  tbe  Lord's 
Day,"  p.  174. 

*  Morer,  Tho.,  ' '  Discourse  in  Six  Dialogues  on  the  Name,  Notion,  and 
Observation  of  the  Lord's  Day,"  p.  271   (ed.  1701). 

•See  Heylyn,  "History  of  the  Sabbath,"  Part  11,  ch.  5,  sec.  7. 


576  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Still  the  absence  of  scriptural  authority  for  Sunday- 
keeping  occasioned  no  little  embarrassment.  The  people 
questioned  the  right  of  their  teachers  to  set  aside  the 
positive  declaration  of  Jehovah,  "The  seventh  day  is  the 
Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God,"  in  order  to  honor  the  day 
of  the  sun.  To  supply  the  lack  of  Bible  testimony,  other 
expedients  were  necessary.  A  zealous  advocate  of  Sunday, 
who  about  the  close  of  the  tv;elfth  century  visited  the 
churches  of  England,  was  resisted  by  faithful  witnesses  for 
the  truth ;  and  so  fruitless  were  his  efforts  that  he  departed 
from  the  country  for  a  season,  and  cast  about  him  for 
some  means  to  enforce  his  teachings.  "When  he  returned, 
the  lack  was  supplied,  and  in  his  after-labors  he  met  with 
greater  success.  He  brought  with  him  a  roll  purporting 
to  be  from  God  Himself,  which  contained  the  needed  com- 
mand for  Sunday  observance,  with  awful  threats  to  terrify 
the  disobedient.  This  precious  document — as  base  a  coun- 
terfeit as  the  institution  it  supported  —  was  said  to  have 
fallen  from  heaven,  and  to  have  been  found  in  Jerusalem, 
upon  the  altar  of  St.  Simeon,  in  Golgotha.  But  in  fact, 
the  pontifical  palace  at  Rome  was  the  source  whence  it 
proceeded.  Frauds  and  forgeries  to  advance  the  power  and 
prosperity  of  the  church  have  in  all  ages  been  esteemed  law- 
ful by  the  papal  hierarchy. 

The  roll  forbade  labor  from  the  ninth  hour,  three  o'clock, 
on  Saturday  afternoon,  till  sunrise  on  Monday ;  and  its 
authority  was  declared  to  be  confirmed  by  many  miracles. 
It  was  reported  that  persons  laboring  beyond  the  appointed 
hour  were  stricken  with  paralysis.  A  miller  who  attempted 
to  grind  his  corn,  saw,  instead  of  flour,  a  torrent  of  blood 
come  forth,  and  the  mill-wheel  stood  still,  notwithstanding 
the  strong  rush  of  the  water.  A  woman  who  placed  dough 
in  the  oven,  found  it  raw  when  taken  out,  though  the  oven 
was  very  hot.  Another  who  had  dough  prepared  for  bak- 
ing at  the  ninth  hour,  but  determined  to  set  it  aside  till 
Monday,  found,  the  next  day,  that  it  had  been  made  into 
loaves   and   baked   by    divine    power.     A   man    who   baked 


AIMS  OF  THE  PAPACY  577 

bread  after  the  ninth  hour  on  Saturday,  found,  when  he 
broke  it  the  next  morning,  that  blood  started  therefrom. 
By  such  absurd  and  superstitious  fabrications  did  the 
advocates  of  Sunday  endeavor  to  establish  its  saeredness/ 

In  Scotland,  as  in  England,  a  greater  regard  for  Sunday 
was  secured  by  uniting  with  it  a  portion  of  the  ancient 
Sabbath.  But  the  time  required  to  be  kept  holy  varied. 
An  edict  from  the  king  of  Scotland  declared  that  "Satur- 
day from  twelve  at  noon  ought  to  be  accounted  holy,"  and 
that  no  man,  from  that  time  till  Monday  morning,  should 
engage  in  worldly  business." 

But  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  to  establish  Sunday 
sacredness,  papists  themselves  publicly  confessed  the  divine 
authority  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  human  origin  of  the  in- 
stitution by  which  it  had  been  supplanted.  In  the  six- 
teenth century  a  papal  council  plainly  declared:  "Let  all 
Cliristians  remember  that  the  seventh  day  was  consecrated 
by  God,  and  hath  been  received  and  observed,  not  only  by 
the  Jews,  but  by  all  others  who  pretend  to  worship  God; 
though  we  Christians  have  changed  their  Sabbath  into  the 
Lord's  day. "^  Those  who  were  tampering  with  the  divine 
law  were  not  ignorant  of  the  character  of  their  work.  They 
were  deliberately  setting  themselves  above  God. 

A  striking  illustration  of  Rome's  policy  toward  those 
who  disagree  with  her  was  given  in  the  long  and  bloody 
persecution  of  the  Waldenses,  some  of  whom  were  observers 
of  the  Sabbath.  Others  suffered  in  a  similar  manner  for 
their  fidelity  to  the  fourth  commandment.  The  history  of 
the  churches  of  Ethiopia  and  Abyssinia  is  especially  sig- 
nificant. Amid  the  gloom  of  the  Dark  Ages,  the  Christians 
of  Central  Africa  were  lost  sight  of  and  forgotten  by  the 
world,  and  for  mapy  centuries  they  enjoyed  freedom  in  the 
exercise  of  their  faith.  But  at  last  Rome  learned  of  their 
existence,  and  the  emperor  of  A]>yssinia  was  soon  l)eguiled 
into  an  acknowledgment  of  the  pope  as  the  vicar  of  Christ. 

'See  Eoger  de  Hoveden,  "Annals,"  Vol.  11,  pp.  528-530    (Bohn  ed.). 
'  Morer,  "Dialogues  on  the  Lord's  Day,"  pp.  -90,  291. 
'Idem,  pp.  281,  282. 

19— G.C. 


578  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Other  concessions  followed.  An  edict  was  issued  forbidding 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  under  the  severest  penalties/ 
But  papal  tyranny  soon  became  a  yoke  so  galling  that  the 
Abyssinians  determined  to  break  it  from  their  necks.  After 
a  terrible  struggle,  the  Romanists  were  banished  from  their 
dominions,  and  the  ancient  faith  was  restored.  The  churches 
rejoiced  in  their  freedom,  and  they  never  forgot  the  lesson 
they  had  learned  concerning  the  deception,  the  fanaticism, 
and  the  despotic  power  of  Rome.  Within  their  solitary 
realm  they  were  content  to  remain,  unknown  to  the  rest 
of  Christendom.  -fiiHi/.f 

The  churches  of  Africa  lield  the  Sabbath  as  it  was  held 
by  the  papal  church  before  her  complete  apostasy.  While 
they  kept  the  seventh  day  in  obedience  to  the  command- 
ment of  God,  they  abstained  from  labor  on  the  Sunday  in 
conformity  to  tlie  custom  of  the  church.  Upon  obtaining 
supreme  power,  Rome  had  trampled  upon  the  Sabbath  of 
God  to  exalt  her  own ;  ])ut  the  churches  of  Africa,  liidden 
for  nearly  a  thousand  years,  did  not  share  in  this  apostasy. 
When  brought  under  tlie  sway  of  Rome,  they  were  forced 
to  set  aside  the  true  and  exalt  the  false  sHbl)ath ;  but  no 
sooner  had  they  regained  their  independence  than  they 
returned  to  obedience  to  the  fourth  commandment.^ 

These  records  of  the  past  clearly  reveal  the  enmity  of 
Rome  toward  the  true  Sabbath  and  its  defenders,  and  the 
means  wliich  she  employs  to  honor  the  institution  of  her 
creating.  The  word  of  God  teaches  that  these  scenes  are 
to  be  repeated  as  Roman  Catholics  and  Protestants  shall 
unite  for  the  exaltation  of  the  Sunday. 

The  prophecy  of  Revelation  13  declares  that  the  power 
represented  by  the  beast  with  lamb-like  horns  shall  cause 
"the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  thereyi"  to  worship  the 
papacy  —  there  symbolized  by  the  beast  "like  unto  a  leop- 
ard." The  beast  with  two  horns  is  also  to  say  "to  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  to 
the  beast;"  and,  furthermore,  it  is  to  command  all,  "both 
*See  "Church  History  of  Ethiopia,"  pp.  311,  312.      '  See  Appendix. 


AIMS   OF  THE  PAPACY  579 

small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,"  to  re- 
ceive "the  mark  of  the  beast."*  It  has  been  shown  that 
the  United  States  is  the  power  represented  by  the  beast 
with  lamb-like  horns,  and  that  this  prophecy  will  be  ful- 
filled when  the  United  States  shall  enforce  Sunday  ob- 
servance, which  Rome  claims  as  the  special  acknowledgment 
of  hfer' supremacy.  But  in  this  homage  to  papacy  the  United 
States  will  not  be  alone.  The  influence  of  Rome  in  the  coun- 
tries that  once  acknowledged  her  dominion,  is  still  far  from 
being  destroyed.  And  prophecy  foretells  a  restoration  of 
her  power.  "I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded  to 
death;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed:  and  all  the  world 
wondered  after  the  beast."'  The  infliction  of  the  deadly 
wound  points  to  the  downfall  of  the  papacy  in  1798.  After 
this,  says  the  prophet,  "His  deadly  wound  was  healed:  and 
all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast. ' '  Paul  states 
plainly,  that  the  man  of  sin  will  continue  until  the  second 
advent.'  To  the  very  close  of  time  he  will  carry  forward 
his  ;  work,  of  deception.  And  the  revelator  declares,  also 
referring  to  the  papacy,  "All  that  dwell  upon  the  earth 
shall  worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book 
of  life."'  In  both  the  Old  and  the  New  World,  the  papacy 
will  receive  homage  in  the  honor  paid  to  the  Sunday  insti- 
tution, that  rests  solely  upon  the  authority  of  the  Roman 
Church. 

For  more  than  half  a  century,  students  of  prophecy  in 
the  United  States  have  presented  this  testimony  to  the  world. 
In  the  events  now  taking  place  is  seen  a  rapid  advance 
toward  the  fulfilment  of  the  prediction.  With  Protestant 
teachers  there  is  the  same  claim  of  divine  autliority  for 
Sunday-keeping,  and  the  same  lack  of  scriptural  evidence, 
as  with  the  papal  loaders  who  fabricated  miracles  to  supply 
the  place  of  a  command  from  God.  The  assertion  that 
God's  judgments  are  visited  upon  men  for  their  violation 
of  the  Sunday-sabbath,  will  be  repeated;  already  it  is  be- 
'Eev.  13;  11-16.  .         »Eev.  13:3.  »2  Theas.  2:8.  'Rev.  13:8. 


580  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ginning  to  be  urged.  And  a  movement  to  enforce  Sunday 
observance  is  fast  gaining  ground. 

Marvelous  in  her  shrewdijess  and  cunning  is  the  Roman 
Church.  She  can  read  what  is  to  be.  She  bides  her  time, 
seeing  that  the  Protestant  churches  are  paying  her  homage 
in  their  acceptance  of  the  false  sabbath,  and  that  they  are 
preparing  to  enforce  it  by  the  very  means  which  she  herself 
employed  in  bygone  days.  Those  who  reject  the  light  of 
truth  will  yet  seek  the  aid  of  this  self-styled  infallible  power 
to  exalt  an  institution  that  originated  with  her.  How  read- 
ily she  will  come  to  the  help  of  Protestants  in  this  work,  it 
is  not  difficult  to  conjecture.  "Who  understands  better  than 
the  papal  leaders  how  to  deal  with  those  who  are  disobe- 
dient to  the  church? 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with  all  its  ramifications 
throughout  the  world,  forms  one  vast  organization,  under 
the  control,  and  designed  to  serve  the  interests,  of  the  papal 
see.  Its  millions  of  communicants,  in  every  country  on 
the  globe,  are  instructed  to  hold  themselves  as  bound  in 
allegiance  to  the  pope.  Whatever  their  nationality  or  their 
government,  they  are  to  regard  the  authority  of  the  church 
as  above  all  other.  Though  they  may  take  the  oath  pledg- 
ing their  loyalty  to  the  state,  yet  back  of  this  lies  the  vow 
of  obedience  to  Rome,  absolving  them  from  every  pledge 
inimical   to  her  interests. 

History  testifies  of  her  artful  and  persistent  efforts  to 
insinuate  herself  into  the  affairs  of  nations;  and  having 
gained  a  foothold,  to  further  her  own  aims,  even  at  the 
ruin  of  princes  and  people.  In  the  year  1204,  Pope  Inno- 
cent III.  extracted  from  Peter  II.,  king  of  Arragon,  the 
following  extraordinary  oath:  *'I,  Peter,  king  of  Arra- 
gonians,  profess  and  promise  to  be  ever  faithful  and  obe- 
dient to  my  lord,  Pope  Innocent,  to  his  Catholic  successors, 
and  the  Roman  Church,  and  faithfully  to  preserve  my 
kingdom  in  his  obedience,  defending  the  Catholic  faith,  and 
persecuting  heretical  pravity. ' '  *  This  is  in  harmony  with 
•  Cowling,  J,,  ' '  History  of  Eomanism, "  b.  5,  ch.  6,  sec.  55. 


AIMS  OF  THE  PAPACY  581 

the  claims  regarding  the  poM^er  of  the  Roman  pontiff,  that 
"it  is  lawful  for  him  to  depose  emperors,"  and  that  "he 
can  absolve  subjects  from  their  allegiance  to  unrighteous 
rulers."' 

And  let  it  be  remembered,  it  is  the  boast  of  Rome  that 
she  never  changes.  The  principles  of  Gregory  VII.  and 
Innocent  III.  are  still  the  principles  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church.  And  had  she  but  the  power,  she  would  put  them 
in  practice  with  as  much  vigor  now  as  in  past  centuries. 
Protestants  little  know  what  they  are  doing  when  they 
propose  to  accept  the  aid  of  Rome  in  the  work  of  Sunday 
exaltation.  Wliile  they  are  bent  upon  the  accomplislunent 
of  their  purpose,  Rome  is  aiming  to  re-establish  her  power, 
to  recover  her  lost  supremacy.  Let  the  principle  once  be 
established  in  the  United  States,  that  the  church  may  employ 
or  control  the  power  of  the  state;  that  religious  observ- 
ances may  be  enforced  by  secular  laws;  in  short,  that  the 
authority  of  church  and  state  is  to  dominate  the  conscience, 
and -the  triumph  of  Rome  in  this  country  is  assured. 

God's  word  has  given  Avarning  of  the  impending  dan- 
ger; let  this  be  unheeded,  and  the  Protestant  world  will 
learn  what  the  purposes  of  Rome  really  are,  only  when  it 
is  too  late  to  escape  the  snare.  She  is  silently  growing  into 
power.  Her  doctrines  are  exerting  their  influence  in  leg- 
islative halls,  in  the  churches,  and  in  the  hearts  of  men. 
She  is  piling  up  her  lofty  and  massive  structures,  in  the 
secret  recesses  of  which  her  former  persecutions  will  be 
repeated.  Stealthilj'-  and  unsuspeetedly  she  is  strengthen- 
ing her  forces  to  further  her  own  ends  Avhen  the  time  sliall 
come  for  her  to  strike.  All  that  she  desires  is  vantage- 
ground,  and  this  is  already  being  given  her.  We  shall  soon 
see  and  shall  feel  what  the  purpose  of  the  Roman  element 
is.  Whoever  shall  believe  and  obey  the  word  of  God,  A\il] 
thereby  incur  reproach  and  persecution. 

•Mosheim,  "Ecclesiastical  History,"  b.  3,  cent.  11,  part  2,  ch.  2, 
sec.  9,  note  8  (tr.  by  Murdock).    See  also  Appendix. 


THE    IMPENDING    GONFLIGT-36 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  great  controversy  in 
heaven,  it  has  been  Satan's  purpose  to  overthrow  the  law 
of  God.  It  was  to  accomplish  this  that  he  entered  upon 
his  rebellion  against  the  Creator;  and  though  he  was  cast 
out  of  heaven,  he  has  continued  the  same  warfare  upon  the 
earth.  To  deceive  men,  and  thus  lead  them  to  transgress 
God's  law,  is  the  object  which  he  has  steadfastly  pursued. 
Whether  this  be  accomplished  by  casting  aside  the  law 
altogether,  or  by  rejecting  one  of  its  precepts,  the  result 
will  be  ultimately  the  same.  He  that  offends  "in  one  point," 
manifests  contempt  for  the  whole  law ;  his  influence  and 
example  are  on  the  side  of  transgression;  he  becomes  "guilty 
of  all.'" 

In  seeking  to  cast  contempt  upon  the  divine  statutes, 
Satan  has  perverted  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  and  errors 
have  thus  become  incorporated  into  the  faith  of  thousands 
who  profess  to  believe  the  Scriptures.  The  last  great  con- 
flict between  truth  and  error  is  but  the  final  struggle  of 
the  long-standing  controversy  concerning  the  law  of  God. 
Upon  this  battle  we  are  nmv  entering, —  a  battle  between 
the  laws  of  men  and  the  precepts  of  Jehovah,  between  the 
religion  of  the  Bible  and  the  religion  of  fable  and  tradition. 

The  agencies  which  will  unite  against  truth  and  right- 
eousness in  this  contest  are  now  actively  at  work.  God's 
holy  word,  which  has  been  handed  down  to  us  at  such  a 

^  James  2:10. 
(582) 


i 


THE  IMPENDING   CONFLICT  583 

cost  of  suffering  and  blood,  is  but  little  valued.  The  Bible 
is  within  the  reach  of  all,  but  there  are  few  who  really 
accept  it  as  the  guide  of  life.  Infidelity  prevails  to  an 
alarming  extent,  not  in  the  world  merely,  but  in  the  church. 
Many  have  come  to  deny  doctrines  which  are  the  very  pil- 
lars of  the  Christian  faith.  The  great  facts  of  creation  as 
presented  by  the  inspired  writers,  the  fall  of  man,  the 
atonement,  and  the  perpetuity  of  the  law  of  God,  are  prac- 
tically rejected,  either  wholly  or  in  part,  by  a  large  share 
of  the  professedly  Christian  world.  Thousands  who  pride 
themselves  upon  their  wisdom  and  independence,  regard  it 
an  evidence  of  weakness  to  place  implicit  confidence  in  the 
Bible;  they  think  it  a  proof  of  superior  talent  and  learning 
to  cavil  at  the  Scriptures,  and  to  spiritualize  and  explain 
away  their  most  important  truths.  Many  ministers  are 
teaching  their  people,  and  many  professors  and  teachers  are 
instructing  their  students,  that  the  law  of  God  has  been 
changed  or  abrogated ;  and  those  who  regard  its  require- 
ments as  still  valid,  to  be  literally  obeyed,  are  thought  to 
be  deserving  only  of  ridicule  or  contempt. 

In  rejecting  the  truth,  men  reject  its  Author.  In  tramp- 
ling upon  the  law  of  God,  they  deny  the  authority  of  the 
Lawgiver.  It  is  as  easy  to  make  an  idol  of  false  doctrines 
and  theories  as  to  fashion  an  idol  of  wood  or  stone.  By 
misrepresenting  the  attributes  of  God,  Satan  leads  men 
to  conceive  of  II im  in  a  false  character.  With  many,  a 
philosophical  idol  is  enthroned  in  the  place  of  Jehovah ; 
while  the  living  God,  as  He  is  revealed  in  His  word,  in 
Christ,  and  in  the  works  of  creation,  is  worshiped  by  but 
few.  Thousands  deify  nature,  while  tliey  deny  the  God  of 
nature.  Though  in  a  different  form,  idolatry  exists  in  the 
Christian  world  to-day  as  verily,  as  it  existed  among  ancient 
Israel  in  tlie  days  of  Elijah.  The  god  of  many  professedly 
wise  men,  of  philosophers,  poets,  politicians,  journalists, — 
the  god  of  polished  fashionable  circles,  of  many  colleges 
and  universities,  even  of  some  theological  institutions, —  is 
little  better  than  Baal,  the  sun-god  of  Phenicia. 


584  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

No  error  accepted  by  the  Christian  world  strikes  more 
boldly  against  the  authority  of  Heaven,  none  is  more 
directly  opposed  to  the  dictates  of  reason,  none  is  more  per- 
nicious in  its  results,  than  the  modern  doctrine,  so  rapidly 
gaining  ground,  that  God's  law  is  no  longer  binding  upon 
men.  Every  nation  has  its  laws,  which  command  respect 
and  obedience;  no  government  could  exist  without  them; 
and  can  it  be  conceived  that  the  Creator  of  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  has  no  law  to  govern  the  beings  He  has  made? 
Suppose  that  prominent  ministers  were  publicly  to  teach 
that  the  statutes  which  govern  their  land  and  protect  the 
rights  of  its  citizens  were  not  obligatory, —  that  they  re- 
stricted the  liberties  of  the  people,  and  therefore  ought  not 
to  be  obeyed;  how  long  would  such  men  be  tolerated  in 
the  pulpit?  But  is  it  a  graver  offense  to  disregard  the  laws 
of  states  and  nations  than  to  trample  upon  those  divine 
precepts  which  are  the  foundation  of  all  government? 

It  would  be  far  more  consistent  for  nations  to  abolish 
their  statutes,  and  permit"  the  people  to  do  as  they  please, 
than  for  the  Ruler  of  the  universe  to  annul  His  law,  and 
leave  the  world  without  a  standard  to  condemn  the  guilty 
or  justify  the  obedient.  Would  we  know  the  result  of 
making  void  the  law  of  God?  The  experiment  has  been 
tried.  Terrible  were  the  scenes  enacted  in  France  when 
atheism  became  the  controlling  power.  It  was  then  demon- 
strated to  the  world  that  to  throw  off  the  restraints  which 
God  has  imposed  is  to  accept  the  rule  of  the  cruelest  of 
tyrants.  When  the  standard  of  righteousness  is  set  aside, 
the  way  is  open  for  the  prince  of  evil  to  establish  his 
power  in  the  earth. 

Wherever  the  divine  precepts  are  rejected,  sin  ceases  to 
appear  sinful,  or  righteousness  desirable.  Those  who  refuse 
to  submit  to  the  government  of  God  are  wholly  unfitted  to 
govern  themselves.  Through  their  pernicious  teachings, 
the  spirit  of  insubordination  is  implanted  in  the  hearts  of 
children  and  youth,  who  are  naturally  impatient  of  control; 
and   a   lawless,   licentious   state   of   society   results.     While 


THE  IMPENDING   CONFLICT  585 

scoffing  at  the  credulity  of  those  who  obey  the  requirements 
of  God,  the  multitudes  eagerly  accept  the  delusions  of 
Satan.  They  give  the  rein  to  lust,  and  practise  the  sins 
which  have  called  down  judgments  upon  the  heathen. 

Those  who  teach  the  people  to  regard  lightly  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  sow  disobedience,  to  reap  disobedience. 
Let  the  restraint  imposed  by  the  divine  law  be  wholly  cast 
aside,  and  human  laws  would  soon  be  disregarded.  Be- 
cause God  forbids  dishonest  practices,  coveting,  lying,  and 
defrauding,  men  are  ready  to  trample  upon  His  statutes  as 
a  hindrance  to  their  worldly  prosperity;  but  the  results  of 
banishing  these  precepts  would  be  such  as  they  do  not  an- 
ticipate. If  the  law  were  not  binding,  why  should  any  fear 
to  transgress?  Property  would  no  longer  be  safe.  Men 
would  obtain  their  neighbors'  possessions  by  violence;  and 
the  strongest  would  become  richest.  Life  itself  would  not 
be  respected.  The  marriage  vow  would  no  longer  stand  as 
a  sacred  bulwark  to  protect  the  family.  He  who  had  the 
power,  would,  if  he  desired,  take  his  neighbor's  wife  by  vio- 
lence. The  fifth  commandment  would  be  set  aside  with  the 
fourth.  Children  would  not  shrink  from  taking  the  life 
of  their  parents,  if  by  so  doing  they  could  obtain  the 
desire  of  their  corrupt  hearts.  The  civilized  world  would 
become  a  horde  of  robbers  and  assassins;  and  peace,  rest, 
and  happiness  would  be  banished  from  the  earth. 

Already  the  doctrine  that  men  are  released  from  obedi- 
ence to  God's  requirements  has  weakened  the  force  of  moral 
obligation,  and  opened  the  flood-gates  of  iniquity  upon  the 
world.  Lawlessness,  dissipation,  and  corruption  are  sweep- 
ing in  upon  us  like  an  overwhelming  tide.  In  the  family, 
Satan  is  at  work.  His  banner  waves,  even  in  professedly 
Christian  households.  There  is  envy,  evil  surmising,  hypoc- 
risy, estrangement,  emulation,  strife,  betrayal  of  sacred 
trusts,  indulgence  of  lust.  The  whole  system  of  religious 
principles  and  doctrines,  which  should  form  the  foundation 
and  framework  of  social  life,  seems  to  be  a  tottering  mass, 
ready  to  fall  to  ruin.     The  vilest  of  criminals,  when  thrown 


586  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

into  prison  for  their  offenses,  are  often  made  the  recipients 
of  gifts  and  attentions,  as  if  they  had  attained  an  envia])le 
distinction.  Great  publicity  is  given  to  their  character  and 
crimes.  The  press  publishes  the  revolting  details  of  vice, 
thus  initiating  others  into  the  practice  of  fraud,  robbery, 
and  murder;  and  Satan  exults  in  the  success  of  his  hellish 
schemes.  The  infatuation  of  vice,  the  wanton  taking  of 
life,  the  terrible  increase  of  intemperance  and  iniquity 
of  every  order  and  degree,  should  arouse  all  who  fear  God, 
to  inquire  what  can  be  done  to  stay  the  tide  of  evil. 

Courts  of  justice  are  corrupt.  Rulers  are  actuated  by 
desire  for  gain,  and  love  of  sensual  pleasure.  Intemperance 
has  beclouded  the  faculties  of  many,  so  that  Satan  has 
almost  complete  control  of  them.  Jurists  are  perverted, 
bribed,  deluded.  Drunkenness  and  revelry,  passion,  envy, 
dishonesty  of  every  sort,  are  represented  among  those  who 
administer  the  laws.  "Justice  standeth  afar  off:  for  truth 
is  fallen  in  the  street,  and  equity  cannot  enter."* 

The  iniquity  and  spiritual  darkness  that  prevailed  under 
the  supremacy  of  Rome  were  the  inevitable  result  of  her 
suppression  of  the  Scriptures;  but  where  is  to  be  found 
the  cause  of  the  wide-spread  infidelity,  the  rejection  of  the 
law  of  God,  and  the  consequent  corruption,  under  the  full 
blaze  of  gospel  light  in  an  age  of  religious  freedom?  Now 
that  Satan  can  no  longer  keep  the  world  under  his  control 
by  withholding  the  Scriptures,  he  resorts  to  other  means  to 
accomplish  the  same  object.  To  destroy  faith  in  the  Bible 
serves  his  purpose  as  well  as  to  destroy  the  Bible  itself.  By 
introducing  the  belief  that  God's  law  is  not  binding,  he  as 
effectually  leads  men  to  transgress  as  if  they  were  wholly 
ignorant  of  its  precepts.  And  now,  as  in  former  ages,  he 
has  worked  through  the  church  to  further  his  designs.  The 
religious  organizations  of  the  day  have  refused  to  listen  to 
unpopular  truths  plainly  brought  to  view  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  in  combating  them  they  have  adopted  interpretations 
and  taken  positions  which  have  sown  broadcast  the  seeds 
of  skepticism.     Clinging  to  the  papal  error  of  natural  im- 

'Isa.  59^4 


I 


THE  IMPENDING   CONFLICT  587 

The  doctrine  or  eternal  torment  has  led  many  to  disbelieve 
the  Bible.  And  as  the  claims  of  the  fourth  commandment 
are  urged  upon  the  people,  it  is  found  that  the  observance 
of  the  seventh-day  Sabbath  is  enjoined;  and  as  the  only 
way  to  free  themselves  from  a  duty  which  they  are  un- 
willing to  perform,  many  popular  teachers  declare  that  the 
law  of  God  is  no  longer  binding.  Thus  thoy  cast  away  the 
law  and  the  Sabbath  together.  As  tlie  work  of  Sabbath 
reform  extends,  this  rejection  of  the  divine  law  to  avoid  the 
claims  of  the  fourth  commandment  will  become  well-nigh 
universal.  The  teachings  of  religious  leaders  have  opened 
the  door  to  infidelity,  to  Spiritualism,  and  to  contempt  for 
God's  holy  law;  and  upon  these  leaders  rests  a  fearful  re- 
sponsibility for  the  iniquity  that  exists  in  the  Christian 
world. 

Yet  this  very  class  put  forth  the  claim  that  tlie  fast- 
spreading  corruption  is  largely  attributable  to  the  dese- 
cration of  the  so-called  "Christian  sabbath,"  and  that  the 
enforcement  of  Sunday  observance  would  greatly  improve 
the  morals  of  society.  This  claim  is  especially  urged  in 
America,  where  the  doctrine  of  the  true  Sabbath  has  been 
most  widely  preached.  Here  the  temperance  work,  one  of 
the  most  prominent  and  important  of  moral  reforms,  is  often 
combined  with  the  Sunday  movement,  and  the  advocates  of 
the  latter  represent  themselves  as  laboring  to  promote  the 
highest  interest  of  society;  and  those  who  refuse  to  unite 
with  them  are  denounced  as  the  enemies  of  temperance  and 
reform.  But  the  fact  that  a  movement  to  establish  error  is 
connected  with  a  work  which  is  in  itself  good,  is  not  an 
argument  in  favor  of  the  error.  We  may  disguise  poison 
by  mingling  it  with  wholesome  food,  but  we  do  not  change 
its  nature.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  rendered  more  dangerous, 
as  it  is  more  likely  to  be  taken  unawares.  It  is  one  of 
Satan's  devices  to  combine  with  falsehood  just  enough  truth 
to  give  it  plausibility.    The  leaders  of  the  Sunday  movement 


588  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

may  adyQgate  reforms  which  the  people  need,  principles 
which  are  in  harmony  with  the  Bible;  yet  while  there  is 
with  these  a  requirement  which  is  contrary  to  God's  law, 
His  servants  cannot  unite  with  them.  Nothing  can  justify 
them  in  setting  aside  the  commandments  of  God  for  the 
precepts  of  men. 

through  the  two  great  errors,  the  immortality  of  the  soul 
and  Sunday  sacredness.  Satan  will  bring  the  people  under 
his  deceptions.  "While  the  former  lays  the  foundation  of 
Spiritualism,  the  latter  creates  a  bond  of  sympathy  with 
Rome.  The  Protestants  of  the  United  States  will  be  fore- 
most in  stretching  their  hands  across  the  gulf  to  grasp  the 
hand  of  Spiritualism;  they  will  reach  over  the  abyss  to 
clasp  hands  with  the  Roman  power;  and  under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  threefold  union,  this  country  will  follow  in 
the  steps  of  Rome  in  trampling  on  the  rights  of  conscience. 

As  Spiritualism  more  closely  imitates  the  nominal  Chris- 
tianity of  the  day,  it  has  greater  power  to  deceive  and 
ensnare.  Satan  himself  is  converted,  after  the  modern 
order  of  things.  He  will  appear  in  the  character  of  an 
angel  of  light.  Through  the  agency  of  Spiritualism,  mir- 
acles will  be  wrought,  the  sick  will  be  healed,  and  many 
undeniable  wonders  will  be  performed.  And  as  the  spirits 
will  profess  faith  in  the  Bible,  and  manifest  respect  for 
the  institutions  of  the  church,  their  work  will  be  accepted 
as  a  manifestation  of  divine  power. 

The  line  of  distinction  between  professed  Christians  and 
the  ungodly  is  now  hardly  distinguishable.  Church-mem- 
bers love  what  the  world  loves,  and  are  ready  to  join  with 
them;  and  Satan  determines  to  unite  them  in  one  body,  and 
thus  strengthen  his  cause  by  sweeping  all  into  the  ranks 
of  Spiritualism.  Papists,  who  boast  of  miracles  as  a  certain 
sign  of  the  true  church,  will  be  readily  deceived  by  this 
wonder-working  power;  and  Protestants,  having  cast  away 
the  shield  of  truth,  will  also  be  deluded.  Papists,  Protes- 
tants, and  worldlings  will  alike  accept  the  form  of  godliness 
without  the  power,  and  they  will  see  in  this  union  a  grand 


I 


THE  IMPENDING  CONFLICT  589 

movement  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  the  usher- 
ing in  of  the   long-expected  millennium. 

Through  Spiritualism,  Satan  appears  as  a  benefactor  of 
the  race,  healing  the  diseases  of  the  people,  and  professing 
to  present  a  new  and  more  exalted  system  of  religious  faith; 
but  at  the  same  time  he  works  as  a  destroyer.  His  temp- 
tations are  leading  multitudes  to  ruin.  Intemperance  de- 
thrones reason;  sensual  indulgence,  strife,  and  bloodshed 
follow.  Satan  delights  in  war;  for  it  excites  the  worst  pas- 
sions of  the  soul,  and  then  sweeps  into  eternity  its  victims 
steeped  in  vice  and  blood.  It  is  his  object  to  incite  the 
nations  to  war  against  one  another;  for  he  can  thus  divert 
the  minds  of  the  people  from  the  work  of  preparation  to 
jjtand  in  the  day  of  God. 

Satan  works  through  the  elements  also  to  garner  his 
harvest  of  unprepared  souls.  He  has  studied  the  secrets 
of  the  laboratories  of  nature,  and  he  uses  all  his  power  to 
control  the  elements  as  far  as  God  allows.  When  he  was 
suffered  to  afflict  Job,  how  quickly  flocks  and  herds,  servants, 
houses,  children,  were  swept  away,  one  trouble  succeeding 
another  as  in  a  moment.  It  is  God  that  shields  His  crea- 
tures, and  hedges  them  in  from  the  power  of  the  destroyer. 
But  the  Christian  world  have  shown  contempt  for  the  law 
of  Jehovah;  and  the  Lord  will  do  just  what  He  has  declared 
that  He  would, —  He  will  withdraw  His  blessings  from  the 
earth,  and  remove  His  protecting  care  from  those  who  are 
rebelling  against  His  law,  and  teaching  and  forcing  others 
to  do  the  same.  Satan  has  control  of  all  whom  God  does 
not  especially  guard.  He  will  favor  and  prosper  some,  in 
order  to  further  his  own  designs ;  and  he  will  bring  trouble 
upon  others,  and  lead  men  to  believe  that  it  is  God  who  is 
afflicting  them 

While  appearing  to  the  children  of  men  as  a  great  phy- 
sician who  can  heal  all  their  maladies,  he  will  bring  disease 
and  disaster,  until  populous  cities  are  reduced  to  ruin  and 
desolation.  Even  now  he  is  at  work.  In  accidents  and 
/calamities  by  sea  and  by  land,   in  great  conflagrations,  in 


590  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

fierce  tornadoes  and  terrific  hail-storms,  in  tempests,  floods, 
cyclones,  tidal  waves,  and  earthquakes,  in  every  place  and 
in  a  thousand  forms,  Satan  is  exercising  his  power.  He 
sweeps  away  the  ripening  harvest,  and  famine  and  distress 
follow.  He  imparts  to  the  air  a  deadly  taint,  and  thousands 
perish  by  the  pestilence.  These  visitations  are  to  become 
more  and  more  frequent  and  disastrous.  Destruction  will 
be  upon  both  man  and  beast.  ''The  earth  mourneth  and 
fadeth  away,"  "the  haughty  people  ...  do  languish.  The 
earth  also  is  defiled  under  the  inhabitants  thereof;  because 
they  have  transgressed  the  laws,  changed  the  ordinance, 
broken  the  everlasting  covenant."* 

And  then  the  great  deceiver  will  persuade  men  that  those 
who  serve  God  are  causing  these  evils.  The  class  that  have 
provoked  the  displeasure  of  Heaven  will  charge  all  theii 
troubles  upon  those  whose  obedience  to  (Grod's  command- 
ments is  a  perpetual  reproof  to  transgressors.  It  will  be 
declared  that  men  are  offending  God  by  the  violation  of 
the  Sunday-sabbath;  that  this  sin  has  brought  calamities 
which  will  not  cease  until  Sunday  observance  shall  be 
strictly  enforced;  and  that  those  who  present  the  claims 
of  the  fourth  commandment,  thus  destroying  reverence  for 
Sunday,  are  troublers  of  the  people,  preventing  their  res- 
toration to  divine  favor  and  temporal  prosperity.  Thus  the 
accusation  urged  of  old  against  the  servant  of  God  will  be 
repeated,  and  upon  grounds  equally  well  established:  "And 
it  came  to  pass,  when  Ahab  saw  Elijah,  that  Ahab  said  unto 
him,  Art  thou  he  that  troubleth  Israel?  And  he  answered, 
I  have  not  troubled  Israel;  but  thou,  and  thy  father's  house, 
in  that  ye  have  forsaken  the  commandments  of  tlie  Lord, 
and  thou  hast  followed  Baalim.""  As  the  wrath  of  the 
people  shall  be  excited  by  false  charges,  they  will  pursue 
a  course  toward  God's  ambassadors  very  similar  to,  that 
which  apostate  Israel  pursued  toward  Elijah. 

The  miracle-working  power  manifested  through  Spirit- 
ualism will  exert  its  influence  against  those  who  choose  te 
»Isa.  24:4,  t  '1  Kings  18:17,  18,         \ 


I 


THE  IMPENDING   CONFLICT  591 

obey  God  rather  than  men.  Communications  from  the 
spirits  will  declare  that  God  has  sent  them  to  convince  the 
rejecters  of  Sunday  of  their  error,  affirming  that  the  laws 
of  the  land  should  be  obeyed  as  the  law  of  God,  They  will 
lament  the  great  wickedness  in  the  world,  and  second  the 
testimony  of  religious  teachers,  that  the  degraded  state  of 
morals  is  caused  by  the  desecration  of  Sunday.  Great  will 
be  the  indignation  excited  against  all  who  refuse  to  accept 
their  testimony. 

Satan's  policy  in  this  final  conflict  with  God's  people  is 
the  same  that  he  employed  in  the  opening  of  the  great  con- 
troversy in  heaven.  He  professed  to  be  seeking  to  promote 
the  stability  of  the  divin'e  government,  while  secretly  bend- 
ing every  effort  to  secure  its  overthrow.  And  the  very  work 
which  he  was  thus  endeavoring  to  accomplish,  he  charged 
upon  the  loyal  angels.  The  same  policy  of  deception  has 
marked  the  history  of  the  Roman  Church.  It  has  professed 
to  act  as  the  vicegerent  of  Heaven,  while  seeking  to  exalt 
itself  above  God,  and  to  change  His  law.  Under  the  rule 
of  Rome,  those  who  suffered  death  for  their  fidelity  to  the 
gospel  were  denounced  as  evil-doers;  they  were  declared  to 
be  in  league  with  Satan ;  and  every  possible  means  was 
employed  to  cover  them  with  reproach,  to  cause  them  to 
appear,  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  and  even  to  themselves, 
as  the  vilest  of  criminals.  So  it  will  be  now.  While  Satan 
seeks  to  destroy  those  wlio  honor  God's  law,  he  will  cause 
them  to  be  accused  as  lawbreakers,  as  men  who  are  dis- 
honoring God,  and  bringing  judgments  upon  the  world. 

God  never  forces  the  will  or  the  conscience;  but  Satan's 
constant  resort  —  to  gain  control  of  those  whom  he  cannot 
otherwise  seduce  —  is  compulsion  by  cruelty.  Through  fear 
or  force  he  endeavors  to  rule  the  conscience,  and  to  secure 
'  homage  to  himself.  To  accomplish  this,  he  works  through 
both  religious  and  secular  authorities,  moving  them  to  the 
enforcement  of  human  laws  in  defiance  of  the  law  of  God. 


592  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Those  who  honor  the  Bible  Sabbath  will  be  denounced 
as  enemies  of  law  and  order,  as  breaking  down  the  moral 
restraints  of  society,  causing  anarchy  and  corruption,  and 
calling  down  the  judgments  of  God  upon  the  earth.  Their 
conscientious  scruples  will  be  pronounced  obstinacy,  stub- 
bornness, and  contempt  of  authority.  They  will  be  accused 
of  disaffection  toward  the  government.  Ministers  who  deny 
the  obligation  of  the  divine  law  will  present  from  the  pulpit 
the  duty  of  yielding  obedience  to  the  civil  authorities  as 
ordained  of  God.  In  legislative  halls  and  courts  of  justice, 
commandment-keepers  will  be  misrepresented  and  con- 
demned. A  false  coloring  will  be  given  to  their  words; 
the  worst  construction  will  be  put  upon  their  motives. 

As  the  Protestant  churches  reject  the  clear,  scriptural 
arguments  in  defense  of  God's  law,  they  will  long  to  silence 
those  whose  faith  they  cannot  overthrow  by  the  Bible. 
Though  they  blind  their  own  eyes  to  the  fact,  they  are  now 
adopting  a  course  which  will  lead  to  the  persecution  of 
those  who  conscientiously  refuse  to  do  what  the  rest  of  the 
Christian  world  are  doing,  and  acknowledge  the  claims  of 
the  papal  sabbath. 

The  dignitaries  of  church  and  state  will  unite  to  bribe, 
persuade,  or  compel  all  classes  to  honor  the  Sunday.  The 
lack  of  divine  authority  will  be  supplied  by  oppressive  en- 
actments. Political  corruption  is  destroying  love  of  justice 
and  regard  for  truth ;  and  even  in  free  America,  rulers  and 
legislators,  in  order  to  secure  public  favor,  will  yield  to  the 
popular  demand  for  a  law  enforcing  Sunday  observance. 
Liberty  of  conscience,  which  has  cost  so  great  a  sacrifice, 
will  no  longer  be  respected.  In  the  soon-coming  conflict 
we  shall  see  exemplified  the  prophet's  words,  "The  dragon 
was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went  to  make  war  with  the 
remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ.'" 

*Kev.  12:17. 


TliE  SCRIPTURES  A  SAFEGUARD-37 
"To  THE  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if  tliey  speak  not 
according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in 
them. ' ' '  The  people  of  God  are  directed  to  the  Scriptures 
as  their  safeguard  against  the  influence  of  false  teachers 
and  the  delusive  power  of  spirits  of  darkness.  Satan  em- 
ploys every  possible  device  to  prevent  men  from  obtain- 
ing a  knowledge  of  the  Bible;  for  its  plain  utterances 
reveal  his  deceptions.  At  every  revival  of  God's  work,  the 
prince  of  evil  is  aroused  to  more  intense  activity;  he  is 
now  putting  forth  his  utmost  efforts  for  a  final  struggle 
against  Christ  and  His  followers.  The  last  great  delusion 
is  soon  to  open  before  us.  Antichrist  is  to  perform  his 
^rvelous  works  in  our  sight.  So  closely  will  the  counter- 
feit resemble  the  true,  that  it  will  be  impossible  to  distin- 
guish between  them  except  by  the  Holy  Scriptures.  By  their 
testimony  every  statement  and  every  miracle  must  be  tested. 
Those  who  endeavor  to  obey  all  the  commandments  of 
God  will  be  opposed  and  derided.  They  can  stand  only  in 
God.  In  order  to  endure  the  trial  before  them,  they  must 
understand  the  will  of  God  as  revealed  in  His  word;  they 
can  honor  Him  only  as  they  have  a  right  conception  of  His 
character,  government,  and  purposes,  and  act  in  accordance 
with  them.  None  but  tliose  who  ha\(j  fortified  the  minj[_ 
with  the  truths  of  the  Bible  will  stand  through  the  last  grt>at 

>Isa.  8:20. 

(593) 


594  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY  __ 

conflict.  To  every  soul  will  come  the  searching  test,  Shall  1 
obey  God  rather  than  men?  The  decisive  hour  is  even  now 
at  hand.  Are  our  feet  planted  on  the  rock  of  God's  immu- 
table word?  Are  we  prepared  to  stand  firm  in  defense  of 
the  commandments  of  God  and  the  faith  of  Jesus  f 

Before  His  crucifixion,  the  Saviour  explained  to  His  dis- 
ciples that  He  was  to  be  put  to  death,  and  to  rise  again 
from  the  tomb;  and  angels  were  present  to  impress  His 
words  on  minds  and  hearts.  But  the  disciples  were  looking 
for  temporal  deliverance  from  the  Roman  yoke,  and  they 
could  not  tolerate  the  thought  that  He  in  whom  all  their 
hopes  centered  should  suffer  an  ignominious  death.  The 
words  which  they  needed  to  remember  were  banished  from 
their  minds;  and  when  the  time  of  trial  came,  it  found  them 
unprepared.  The  death  of  Jesus  as  fully  destroyed  their 
hopes  as  if  He  had  not  forewarned  them.  So  in  the  prophe- 
cies the  future  is  opened  before  us  as  plaiiily  as,  it  was 
opened  to  the  disciples  by  the  words  of  Christ.  The  events 
connected  with  the  close  of  probation  and  ,  the  work  of 
preparation  for  the  time  of  trouble,  are  clearly  presented! 
But  multitudes  liave  no  more  understanding  of  these  im- 
portant truths  than  if  they  had  never  been  revealed.  Satan 
vratehes 'tio"  •c&itW'U'Mf'ii'^&ty  impression  that  would  make 
them  wise  unto  salvation,  and'thfe-'tifhe  of  troifbTdr'WfIT''flM 
them  unready. 

When  God  sends  to  men  warnings  so  important  that  they 
are  represented  as  proclaimed  by  holy  angels  flying  in  the 
midst  of  heaven.  He  requires  every  person  endowed  with 
reasoning  powers  to  heed  the  message.  The  fearful  judg- 
ments denounced  against  the  worship  of  the  beast  and  his 
image,"  should  lead  all  to  a  diligent  study  of  the  prophecies 
to  learn  what  the  mark  of  the  beast  is,  and  how  they  are  to 
avoid  receiving  it.  But  the  masses  of  the  people  turn  away 
"  ffieif " 'eais  "ff6nl''^1^g'&'rfflg ' 'the  '  tfutfit'lM  ire  turned  unto 
"^fables.  The  apostle  Paul  declared,  looking  down  to  the  last 
days,  "The    time    will    come    when    they    will    not    endure 

»Eev.   14:  9-11. 


I 


THE  SCRIPTURES  A   SAFEGUARD  695 

sound ,  doctrine. " '  That  time  has  fully  come.  The  mul- 
titudes do  not  want  Bible  truth,  because  it  interferes  with 
the  desires  of  the  sinful,  world-loving  heart;  and  Satan 
supplies  the  deceptions  which  they  love. 
n,  But  God  will  have  a  people  upon  the  earth  to  maintain 
the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only,  as  the  standard  of  all  doc- 
trines, and  the  basis  of  all  reforms.  The  opinions  of 
learned  men,  the  deductions  of  science,  the  creeds  or  deci- 
sions of  ecclesiastical  councils,  as  numerous  and  discordant 
as  are  the  churches  which  they  represent,  the  voice  of  the 
majority,— not  one  nor  all  of  these  should  be  regarded  as 
evidence  for  or  against  any  point  of  religious  faith.  Before 
accepting  any  doctrine  or  precei)t,  we  should  demand  a 
plain  "Thus  saith  the  Lord"  in  its  support. 

Satan  is  constantly  endeavoring  to  attract  attention  to 
man  in  the  place  of  God.  He  leads  the  people  to  look  to 
bishops,  to  pastors,  to  professors  of  theology,  as  their  guides, 
instead  of  searching  the  Scriptures  to  learn  their  duty  for 
themselves.  Then,  by  controlling  the  minds  of  these  leaders, 
he  can  influence  the  multitudes  according  to  his  Avill. 

When  Christ  came  to  speak  the  words  of  life,  the  com- 
►non  people  heard  Him  gladly ;  and  many,  even  of  the 
priests  and  rulers,  believed  on  Him.  But  the  chief  of  the 
priesthood  and  the  leading  men  of  the  nation  were  deter- 
mined to  condemn  and  repudiate  His  teachings.  Though 
they  were  baffled  in  all  their  efforts  to  find  accusations 
against  Him,  though  they  could  not  but  feel  the  influence 
of  tlic  divine  power  and  wisdom  attending  His  words,  yet 
they  encased  themselves  in  prejudice ;  they  rejected  the 
clearest  evidence  of  His  IMessiahship,  lest  they  should  be 
forced  to  become  His  discii)les.  These  opponents  of  Jesus 
were, men  whom  the  people  had  been  taught  from  infancy 
to  reverence,  to  whose  authority  they  had  boon  accustomed 
implicitly  to  bow.  "How  is  it,"  they  asked,  "that  our 
rulers  and  learned  scribes  do  not  believe  on  Jesus?  Would 
Bot.these  pious  men  receive  Hira  if  He  were  the  Christ?" 

>2  Tim.  4:3. 


596  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

It  was  the  influence  of  such  teachers  that  led  the  Jewish 
nation  to  reject  their  Redeemer. 

The  spirit  which  actuated  those  priests  and  rulers  is  still 
manifested  by  many  who  make  a  high  profession  of  piety. 
They  refuse  to  examine  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures  con- 
cerning the  special  truths  for  this  time.  They  point  to  their 
o^^•n  numbers,  wealth,  and  popularity,  and  look  with  con- 
tempt upon  the  advocates  of  truth  as  few,  poor,  and  unpop- 
ular, having  a   faith  that  separates  them   from  the  world. 

Christ  foresaw  that  the  undue  assumption  of  authority 
indulged  by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  would  not  cease  with 
the  dispersion  of  the  Jews.  He  had  a  prophetic  view  of  the 
work  of  exalting  hr.man  authority  to  rule  the  conscience, 
which  has  been  so  terrible  a  curse  to  the  church  in  all  ages. 
And  His  fearful  denunciations  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
and  His  warnings  to  the  people  not  to  follow  these  blind 
leaders,  were  placed  on  record  as  an  admonition  to  future 
generations. 

Tlie  Roman  Church  reserves  to  the  clergy  the  right  to 
interpret  the  Scriptures.  On  the  ground  that  ecclesiastics 
alone  are  competent  to  explain  God's  word,  it  is  withheld 
from  the  common  people.  Though  the  Reformation  gave 
the  Scriptures  to  all,  yet  the  selfsame  principle  which  was 
maintained  by  Rome  prevents  multitudes  in  Protestant 
churches  from  searcliing  the  Bible  for  themselves.  They  art 
taught  to  accept  its  teachings  as  interpreted  by  the  church; 
and  there  are  thousands  who  dare  receive  nothing,  however 
plainly  revealed  in  Scripture,  that  is  contrary  to  their  creed, 
or  tlie  established  teaching  of  their  church. 

Notwithstanding  the  Bible  is  full  of  warnings  against 
false  teachers,  many  are  ready  thus  to  commit  the  keeping 
of  their  souls  to  the  clergy.  There  are  to-day  thousands  of 
professors  of  religion  who  can  give  no  other  reason  for 
points  of  faith  which  they  hold  than  that  they  were  so 
instructed  by  their  religious  leaders.  They  pass  by  the 
Saviour's   teachings   almost    unnoticed,    and    place    implicit 


THE  SCRIPTURES  A  SAFEGUARD  597 

confidence  in  the  words  of  the  ministers.  But  are  ministers 
infallible?  How  can  we  trust  our  souls  to  their  guidance 
unless  we  know  from  God's  word  that  they  are  light- 
bearers?  A  lack  of  moral  courage  to  step  aside  from  the 
beaten  track  of  the  world,  leads  many  to  follow  in  the  steps 
of  learned  men ;  and  by  their  reluctance  to  investigate  for 
themselves,  they  are  becoming  hopelessly  fastened  in  the 
chains  of  error.  They  see  that  the  truth  for  this  time  is 
plainly  brought  to  view  in  the  Bible,  and  they  feel  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  attending  its  proclamation;  yet 
they  allow  the  opposition  of  the  clergy  to  turn  them  from 
the  light.  Though  reason  and  conscience  are  convinced, 
these  deluded  souls  dare  not  think  differently  from  the  min- 
ister; and  their  individual  judgment,  their  eternal  interests, 
are  sacrificed  to  the  unbelief,  the  pride  and  prejudice,  of 
another. 

Many  are  the  ways  by  which  Satan  works  through 
liuman  influence  to  bind  his  captives.  He  secures  multi- 
tudes to  himself  by  attaching  them  by  the  silken  cords  of 
affection  to  those  who  are  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ, 
^"hatever  this  attachment  may  be,  parental,  filial,  conjugal, 
or  social,  the  effect  is  the  same;  the  opposers  of  truth  exert 
their  power  to  control  the  conscience,  and  the  souls  held 
under  their  sway  have  not  sufficient  courage  or  independ- 
ence to  obey  their  own  convictions  of  duty. 

The  truth  and  the  glory  of  God  are  inseparable;  it  is 
impossible  for  us,  -vnth  the  Bible  within  our  reach,  to  honor 
God  by  erroneous  opinions.  ]\lany  claim  that  it  matters 
not  what  one  believes,  if  his  life  is  only  right.  But  the  life 
is  moulded  by  the  faith.  If  light  and  truth  is  within  our 
reach,  and  we  neglect  to  improve  the  privilege  of  hearing 
and  seeing  it,  we  virtually  reject,  it  j  we  are  choosing  dark- 
ness rather  than  light. 

"There  is  a  way  tliat  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  ])ut  tiie 
end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death."'  Ignorance  is  no  ex- 
cuse for  error  or  sin,  when  there  is  every  opportunity  to 

'Prov.  lG:2o. 


598  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

know  the  will  of  God.  A  man  is  traveling,  and  comes  to 
a  place  where  there  are  several  roads,  and  a  guide-board 
indicating  where  each  one  leads.  If  he  disregards  the  guide- 
board,  and  takes  whichever  road  seems  to  him  to  be  right, 
he  may  be  ever  so  sincere,  but  will  in  all  probability  find 
himself  on   the   wrong  road. 

God  has  given  us  His  word  that  we  may  become  ac- 
quainted with  its  teachings,  and  know  for  ourselves  what 
He  requires  of  us.  When  the  lawyer  came  to  Jesus  with 
the  inquiry,  "What  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  the 
Saviour  referred  him  to  the  Scriptures,  saying,  "What  is 
written  in  the  law?  how  readest  thou?"  Ignorance  will  not 
excuse  young  or  old,  nor  release  them  from  the  punishment 
due  for  the  transgression  of  God's  law;  because  there  is  in 
their  hands  a  faithful  presentation  of  that  law  and  of  its 
principles  and  its  claims.  It  is  not  enough  to  have  good 
intentions;  it  is  not  enough  to  do  what  a  man  thinks  is 
right,  or  wKat  the  minister  tells  him  is  right.  His  soul's 
salvation  is  at  stake,  and  he  should  search  the  Scriptures 
for  himself.  However  strong  may  be  his  convictions,  how- 
ever confident  he  may  be  that  the  minister  knows  what  is 
truth,  this  is  not  his  foundation.  He  has  a  chart  point- 
ing out  every  way-mark  on  the  heavenward  journey,  and 
he  ought  not  to  guess  at  anything. 

It  is  the  first  and  liighest  duty  of  every  rational  being  to 
learn  from  the  Scriptures  what  is  truth,  and  then  to  walk 
in  the  light,  and  encourage  others  to  follow  his  exam- 
ple. We  should  day  by  day  study  the  Bible  diligently, 
weighing  every  thought,  and  comparing  scripture  with 
scripture.  With  divine  help,  we  are  to  form  our  opinions 
for  ourselves,  as  we  are  to  answer  for  ourselves  before  God. 

^'^^^Jj|^T<2^^J^^2^M^|a^J^^  jjj]    ^^f"   Bihip   HavP   ]}Q2n 

involved*^^^^  Tand  darkness  by  learned  ,men^  who,  with 


a  pretense  of  great,  wasdom,  teach  that  the  Scriptures  have 
a  mystical,  a  secret,  spiritual  meaning  not  apparent  in  the 
language  employed.     These  men  are  false  teachers.     It  was 


THE  SCRIPTURES  A   SAFEGUARD  599 

to  such  a  class  that  Jesus  declared,  "Ye  know  not  the  Scrip- 
tures, neither  tlie  power  of  God."'  The  language  of  the 
Bible  should  be  explained  according  to  its  obvious  meaning, 
unless  a  symbol  or  figure  is  employed.  Christ  has  given  the 
promise,  "If  any  man  will  do  His  will,  he  shall  know  of 
the  doctrine. "  ^  .  If  men  would  but  take  the  Bible  as  it 
reads,  if  there  were  no  false  teachers  to  mislead  and  confuse 
their  minds,  a  Avork  Avould  be  accomplished  that  would  make 
angels  glad,  and  that  would  bring  into  the  fold  of  Christ 
tiiousands  upon  thousands  who  are  now  wandering  in  error. 

We  should  exert  all  the  powers  of  the  mind  in  the  study 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  should  task  the  understanding  to  com- 
prehend, as  far  as  mortals  can,  the  deep  things  of  God;  yet 
we  must  not  forget  that  the  docility  and  submission  of  a 
child  is  the  true  spirit  of  the  learner.  Scriptural  difficulties 
can  never  be  mastered  by  the  same  methods  that  are  era- 
ployed  in  grappling  with  philosophical  problems.  "We 
should  not  engage  in  the  study  of  the  Bible  with  that  self- 
reliance  with  which  so  many  enter  the  domains  of  science, 
but  with  a  prayerful  dependence  upon  God,  and  a  sincere 
desire  to  learn  His  will.  We  must  come  with  a  humble  and 
teachable  spirit  to  obtain  knowledge  from  the  great  I  AM. 
Otherwise,  evil  angels  will  so  blind  our  minds  and  harden 
our  hearts  that  we  shall  not  be  impressed  by  the  truth. 

Many  a  portion  of  Scripture  which  learned  men  pro- 
nounce a  mystery,  or  pass  over  as  unimportant,  is  full  of 
comfort  and  instruction  to  him  who  has  been  taught  in  the 
school  of  Christ.  One  reason  why  many  theologians  have 
no  clearer  understanding  of  God's  word  is,  they  close  their 
eyes  o  'ruths  which  they  do  not  wish  to  practise.  An  un- 
derstanding of  Bible  truth  depends  not  so  much  on  the 
power  of  intellect  brought  to  the  search  as  on  the  single- 
ness of  purpose,  the  earnest  longing  after  righteousness. 

The  Bible  should  never  be  studied  without  prayer.  The 
Holy  Spirit  alone  can  cause  us  to  feel  the  importance  of 
those  things  easy  to  be  understood,  or  prevent  us  from  wrest- 

1  Mark  12:24.  »  John  7:17. 


600  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ing  truths  difficult  of  comprehension.  It  is  the  office  of 
heavenly  angels  to  prepare  the  heart  so  to  comprehend  God's 
word  that  we  shall  be  charmed  with  its  beauty,  admonished 
by  its  warnings,  or  animated  and  strengthened  by  its  prom- 
ises. We  should  make  the  psalmist's  petition  our  own, 
"Open  Thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  wondrous  things 
out  of  Thy  law."^  Temptations  often  appear  irresistible 
because,  through  neglect  of  prayer  and  the  study  of  the 
Bible,  the  tempted  one  cannot  readily  remember  God's 
promises  and  meet  Satan  with  the  Scripture  weapons.  But 
angels  are  round  about  those  who  are  willing  to  be  taught 
in  divine  things;  and  in  the  time  of  great  necessity,  they  will 
bring  to  their  remembrance  the  very  truths  which  are  needed. 
Thus  "when  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard  against  him. ' '  ^ 

Jesus  promised  Ilis  disciples,  "The  Comforter,  which  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  My  name, 
He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  l)ring  all  things  to  your 
remembrance,  whatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."^  But 
the  teachings  of  Christ  must  previously  have  been  stored 
in  tlie  mind,  in  order  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  bring  them 
to  our  remembrance  in  the  time  of  peril.  "Thy  word  have 
I  hid  in  mine  heart,"  said  David,  "that  I  might  not  sin 
against  Thee."* 

All  who  value  their  eternal  interests  should  be  on  their 
guard  against  the  inroads  of  skepticism.  The  very  pillars 
of  truth  will  be  assailed.  It  is  impossible  to  keep  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  sarcasms  and  sophisms,  the  insidious  and 
pestilent  teachings,  of  modern  infidelity.  Satan  adapts  his 
temptations  to  all  classes.  He  assails  the  illiterate  with  a 
jest  or  sneer,  while  he  meets  the  educated  with  scientific 
objections  and  philosophical  reasoning,  alike  calculated  to 
excite  distrust  or  contempt  of  the  Scriptures.  Even  youth 
of  little  experience  presume  to  insinuate  doubts  concerning 
the  fundamental  principles  of  Christianity.  And  this  youth- 
ful infidelity,  shallow  as  it  is,  has  its  influence.     Many  are 

iPs.  119:18.  *Isa.  59:19.  =  John  14;  86,  •Ps.  119:11, 


THE  SCRIPTURES  A   SAFEGUARD  601 

thus  led  to  jest  at  the  faith  of  their  fathers,  and  to  do 
despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace/  Many  a  life  that  promised 
to  be  an  honor  to  God  and  a  blessing  to  the  world,  has  been 
blighted  by  the  foul  breath  of  infidelity.  All  who  trust  to 
the  boastful  decisions  of  human  reason,  and  imagine  that 
they  can  explain  divine  mysteries,  and  arrive  at  truth 
unaided  by  the  wisdom  of  God,  are  entangled  in  the  snare 
of  Satan. 

We  are  living  in  tho  most  solemn  period  of  this  world's 
history.  The  destiny  of  earth's  teeming  multitudes  is  about 
to  be  decided.  Our  own  future  well-being,  and  also  the 
salvation  of  other  souls,  depend  upon  the  course  which  we 
now  pursue.  We  need  to  be  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  truth. 
Every  follower  of  Christ  should  earnestly  inquire,  ''Lord, 
what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do?"  We  need  to  humble  our- 
selves before  the  Lord,  with  fasting  and  prayer,  and  to 
meditate  much  upon  His  word,  especially  upon  the  scenes 
of  the  judgment.  We  should  now  seek  a  deep  and  living 
experience  in  the  things  of  God.  We  have  not  a  moment 
to  lose.  Events  of  vital  importance  are  taking  place 
around  us;  we  are  on  Satan's  enchanted  ground.  Sleep 
not,  sentinels  of  God;  the  foe  is  lurking  near,  ready  at  any 
moment,  should  you  become  lax  and  drowsy,  to  spring  upon 
you  and  make  you  his  prey. 

Many  are  deceived  as  to  their  true  condition  before  God. 
They  congratulate  themselves  upon  the  wrong  acts  which 
they  do  not  commit,  and  forget  to  enumerate  the  good  and 
noble  deeds  which  God  re(iuires  of  them,  but  which  they 
have  neglected  to  perform.  It  is  not  enough  that  they  are 
trees  in  the  garden  of  God.  They  are  to  answer  His  expec- 
tation by  bearing  fruit.  He  holds  them  accountable  for 
their  failure  to  accomplish  all  the  good  wliich  they  could 
have  done,  through  His  grace  strengthening  them.  In  the 
books  of  heaven  they  are  registered  as  cumberers  of  the 
ground.  Yet  the  case  of  even  this  class  is  not  utterly 
hopeless.     With  those  who  have  slighted  God's  mercy  and 

'Heb.  10:29. 


602 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


abused  His  grace,  the  heart  of  long-suffering  Love  yet 
pleads.  "Wherefore  He  saith,  Awake,  thou  that  sleep- 
est,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light.  See  then  that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  .  .  .  redeem- 
ing  the  time,   because   the   days  are  evil. ' ' ' 

When  the  testing  time  shall  come,  those  who  have  made 
God's  word  their  rule  of  life  will  be  revealed.  In  summer 
there  is  no  noticeable  difference  between  evergreens  and 
other  trees;  but  Avhen  the  blasts  of  winter  come,  the  ever- 
greens remain  unchanged,  while  other  trees  are  stripped  of 
their  foliage.  So  the  false-hearted  professor  may  not  now 
be  distinguished  from  the  real  Christian,  but  the  time  is 
just  upon  us  when  the  difference  will  be  apparent.  Let 
opposition  arise,  let  bigotry  and  intolerance  again  bear 
sway,  let  persecution  be  kindled,  and  the  half-hearted  and 
hypocritical  will  waver  and  yield  the  faith;  but  the  true 
(/hristian  will  stand  firm  as  a  rock,  his  faith  stronger,  his 
hope  brighter,  than  in  days  of  prosperity. 

Says  the  psalmist:  "Thy  testimonies  are  my  meditation." 
"Through  Thy  precepts  I  get  understanding:  therefore  I 
hate   every   false   way. ' ' " 

"Happy  is  the  man  that  findeth  wisdom."  "He  shall  be 
as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  her 
roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh,  but 
her  leaf  shall  be  green ;  and  shall  not  be  careful  in  the 
year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yielding  fruit.  ""* 
'Eph.  ,'5:14-16.  =P3.  119:99,104.  »  p,.o^,    3.13.    j^j..  17. g. 


TME    FINAL   WARNING -38 

1'  "I  SAW  another  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having 
great  power;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory. 
And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying,  Babylon 
the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habitation 
of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of 
every  unclean  and  hateful  bird."  "And  I  heard  another 
voice  from  heaven,  saying.  Come  out  of  her,  My  people, 
that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive 
not  of  her  plagues. ' '  ^ 

This  scripture  points  forward  to  a  time  when  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  fall  of  Babylon,  as  made  by  the  second 
angel  ^  of  Revelation  14,  is  to  be  repeated,  with  the  addi- 
tional mention  of  the  corruptions  which  have  been  enter- 
ing  the  various  organizations  that  constitute_Babylon,  since 
that  message  was  first  given,  in  the  summer  of  1844.  A  ter- 
rible condition  of  the  religious  world  is  here  described. 
With  every  rejection  of  truth,  the  minds  of  the  people  will 
become  darker,  their  hearts  more  stubborn,  until  they  are 
entrenched  in  an  infidel  hardihood.  Tn  defiance  of  the  warn- 
ings which  God  has  given,  they  will  continue  to  trample 
upon  one  of  the  precepts  of  the  decalogue,  until  they  are 
led  to  persecute  those  who  hold  it  sacred.  Christ  is  set  at 
naught  in  the  contempt  placed  upon  His  word  and  His 
people.     As  the  teachings  of  Spiritualism  are  accepted  by 

'Rev.  18:1,  2,  4.  *Rev.  14:8. 

(603) 


604  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

the  churches,  the  restraint  imposed  upon  the  carnal  heart 
is  removed,  and  the  profession  of  religion  will  become  a 
cloak  to  conceal  the  basest  iniquity.  A  belief  in  spiritual 
manifestations  opens  the  door  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doc- 
trines of  devils,  and  thus  the  influence  of  evil  angels  will 
be  felt  in  the  churches. 

Of  Babylon,  at  the  time  brought  to  view  in  this  proph- 
ecy, it  is  declared,  "Her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and 
God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities. ' '  *  She  has  filled  up 
the  measure  of  her  guilt,  and  destruction  is  about  to  fall 
upon  her.  But  God  still  has  a  people  in  Babylon;  and 
before  the  visitation  of  His  judgments,  these  faithful  ones 
must  be  called  out,  that  they  "partake  not  of  her  sins,  and 
receive  not  of  her  plagues."  Hence  the  movement  sym- 
bolized by  the  angel  coming  down  from  heaven,  lightening 
the  earth  with  his  glory,  and  crying  mightily  with  a  strong 
voice,  announcing  the  sins  of  Babylon.  In  connection  with 
his  message  the  call  is  heard,  "Come  out  of  her.  My 
people."  These  announcements,  uniting  with  the  third 
angel's  message,  constitute  the  final  warning  to  be  given 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the   earth. 

Fearful  is  the  issue  to  which  the  world  is  to  be  brought. 
The  powers  of  earth,  uniting  to  war  against  the  command- 
ments of  God,  Avill  decree  that  all,  "both  small  and  great, 
rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond, ' ' '  shall  conform  to  the 
customs  of  the  church  by  the  observance  of  the  false 
sabbath.  All  Avho  refuse  compliance  will  be  visited  wirh 
civil  penalties,  and  it  will  finally  be  declared  that  they  are 
deserving  of  death.  On  the  other  hand,  the  law  of  God 
enjoining  the  Creator's  rest-day  demands  obedience,  and 
threatens  wrath  against  all  who  transgress  its  precepts. 

With  the  issue  thus  clearly  brought  before  him,  whoever 
shall  trample  upon  God's  law  to  obey  a  human  enactment, 
receives  the  mark  of  the  beast;  he  accepts  the  sign  of  alle- 
giance to  the  power  which  he  chooses  to  obey  instead,  of 
God.  The  warning  from  heaven  is,  "If  any  man  worship 
^Eev.  18:5.  *Rev.  13:16. 


THE  FINAL    WARNING  605 

the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  fore- 
head, or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  His  indignation. ' ' ' 

But  not  one  is  made  to  suffer  the  wrath  of  God  until  the 
truth  has  been  brought  home  to  his  mind  and  conscience, 
and  has  been  rejected.  There  are  many  who  have  never 
had  an  opportunity  to  hear  the  special  truths  for  this  time. 
The  obligation  of  the  fourth  commandment  has  never  been 
set  before  them  in  its  true  light.  lie  who  reads  every  heart, 
and  tries  every  motive,  wiir  leave  none  who  desire  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  to  be  deceived  as  to  the  issues  of  the 
controversy.  The  decree  is  not  to  be  urged  upon  the  people 
blindly.,  "'lEVery  one  is  to  have  sufficient  light  to  make  his 
decision'  intelligently. 

The  Sabbath  will  be  the  great  test  of  loyalty;  for  it  is 
the  point  of  truth  especially  controverted.  When  the  final 
test  shall  be  brought  to  bear  upon  men,  then  the  line  of 
distinction  will  be  drawn  between  those  who  serve  God  and 
those  who  serve  Him  not.  While  the  observance  of  the  false 
sabbath  in  compliance  with  the  law  of  the  state,  contrary 
to  the  fourth  commandment,  Avill  be  an  avowal  of  alle- 
giance to  a  power  that  is  in  opposition  to  God,  the  keeping 
of  the  true  Sabbath,  in  obedience  to  God's  law,  is  an  evi- 
dence of  loyalty  to  the  Creator.  While  one  class,  by 
accepting  the  sign  of  submission  to  earthly  powers,  receive 
the  mark  of  the  beast,  the  other,  choosing  the  token  of 
allegiance  to  divine  authority,  receive  the  seal  of  God. 

Heretofore  those  who  presented  the  truths  of  the  third 
angel's  message  have  often  l>een  regarded  as  mere  alarmists. 
Their  predictions  that  religious  intolerance  would  gain 
control  in  the  United  States,  that  church  and  state  would 
unite  to  persecute  those  who  keep  the  commandments  of 
God,  have  been  pronounced  groundless  and  absurd.  It 
fias  been  confidently  declared  that  this  land  could  never 
become  other  than  what  it  has  been, —  the  defender "^ of  re- 
*Eev.  14:9,  10. 


606  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

ligious  freedom.  But  as  the  question  of  enforcing  Sunday 
observance  is  widely  agitated,  the  event  so  long  doubted  an4 
disbelieved  is  seen  to  be  approaching,  and  the  third  mes- 
sage will  produce  an  effect  -which  it  could  not  have  had 
before. 

In  every  generation  God  has  sent  His  servants  to  rebuke 
sin,  both  in  the  world  and  in  the  church.  But  the  people 
desire  smooth  things  spokei)  to  them,  and  the  pure,  unvar- 
nished truth  is  not  acceptable.  Many  reformers,  in  enter- 
ing upon  their  work,  determinedtoexercus^ereatji^^ 


i^attejjj^^g^JJjg^gg^^^JjJy^jiJyyj^^  They 


hoped,  by  the  example  of  a  pure  Christian  life,  to  lead  the 
people  back  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible.  But  the  Spirit 
of  God  came  upon  them  as  it  came  upon_  EH jaH^ moving 
him  to  rebuke  the  sins  of  a  wickoa~king  and  an  apostate 
people ;  they  could  not  refrain  from  preaching  the  plain 
utterances  of  the  Bible, —  doctrines  which  they  had  been 
reluctant  to  present.  They  were  impelled  to  zealously  de- 
clare the  truth,  and  the  danger  which  threatened  souls. 
The  words  which  the  Lord  gave  them  they  uttered,'  fearless 
of  consequence,  and  the  people  were  compelled  to  hfe^at  the 
warning. 

Thus  the  message  of  the  third  angel  will  be  proclaimed. 
As  the  time  comes  for  it  to  be  given  with  greatest  power, 
the  Lord  mil  work  through  humble  instruments,  leading 
the  minds  of  those  who  consecrate  themselves  to  His  setvice. 
The  laborers  will  be  qualified  rather  by  the  unction  of  His 
Spirit  than  by  the  training  of  literary  institutions.  Men  of 
faith  and  prayer  will  be  constrained  to  go  forth  with  holy 
zeal,  declaring  the  words  which  God  gives  them.     The  sins 

^  Babylon  will  be  laid  open.  The  fearful  results  of  en- 
forcing the  observances  of  the  church  by  civil  authority;  the 
inroads  of  Spiritualism,  the  stealthy  but  rapid  progress  of 

;  the  papal  power, —  all  will  be  unmasked.  By  these  solemn 
'^^j^rnings  the  people  wiIL4>fe-..&tijr£d.  Thousands  upon  thou- 
sands will  listen  who  have  never  heard  words  like  these. 


rhpKV  pc^\^^u  KwMixsV^^l 


THE  FINAL    WARNING  607 

In  amazement  they:.Jhear  the  testimony  that  Babylon  is  the 
ffhnrp.h.  fallf^p  hftnan^ft  nf  hftr  ftrrnys  ^nd  sins,  hec^ausft  of  h^r 
rejection  of  the  truth  sent  to  her  from  heaven.  As  the 
^people  go  to  their  former  teaehers  with  tln'  ci^vr  inquiry, 
Are  these  things  so?  the  ministers  present  fables,  prophesy 
smooth  things,  to  soothe  their  fears,  and  quiet  the  awakened 
conscience.  But  since  many  refuse  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
mere  authority  of  men,  and  demand  a  plain  "Thus  saith 
the  Lord,"  the  popular  ministry,  like  the  Pharisees  of  old, 
filled  with  anger  as  their  authority  is  questioned,  will  de- 
nounce the  message  as  of  Satan,  and  stir  up  the  sin-loving 
multitiides  to  revile  and  persecute  those  who  proclaim  it. 
As  xl^e  controversy  extends  into  new  fields,  and  the 
minds  of  the  people  are  called  toJj^i^,^g^j^2;j^;n4roddenJa\v, 
^j^fan  is  astir.  The  power  attending  the  message  will  only 
madden  those  who  oppose  it.  The  clergy  will  put  forth 
almost  superhuman  efforts  to  shut  away  the  U^lji^^Ait  it 
should  shine  upon  their  flocks.  By  every  means  at  their 
comm^(|]  tliev  will  endeavo|L  to  suppress  the  diseussion^^ 
^jdese  vital  (:|uestion^.  The  church  appeals  to  the  strong 
arm  of  civil  power,  and  in  this  work,  papists  and  Protes- 
tants unite.  As  the  movement  for  Sunday  enforcement  be- 
comes more  bold  and  decided,  the  law^  will  be  invoked 
against  commandment-keepers.  They  v/ill  be  threatened 
Qth  fines  smd  upjpyisonment,  and  some  will  be  offered 
positions  of  influence,  and  other  rewards  and  advantages, 
as  inducements  to  renounce  their  l«*th.  But  their  stead- 
fast answer  is,  ''Show  us  from  the  word  of  God  our  er- 
ror, ' ' —  the  same  plea  that  was  made  by  Luther  under 
similar  circumstances.  Those  who  are  arraigned  before  the 
courts,  make  a  strong  vindication  of  the  truth,  and  some 
who  hear  them  are  led  to  take  their  stand  to  keep  all  the 
commandments  of  (jod.  Thus  light  will  be  brought  before 
thousands  who  otherwise  would  know  nothing  of  these 
truths. 


608  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

,  Conscientious  obedience  tO  the  word  of  God  will  be 
treated  as  rebellion.  Blinded  by  Satan,  the  parent  will  ex- 
ercise harshness  and  severity  toward  the  believing  child;  the 
master  or  mistress  will  oppress  the  commandment-keeping 
servant.  Affection  will  be  alienated;  children  will  be  dis- 
inherited, and  driven  from  home.  The  words  of  Paul  will 
be  literally  fulfilled,  "All  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ 
Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution."'  As  the  defenders  of  truth 
refuse  to  honor  the  Sunday-sabbath,  some  of  them  will  be 
thrust  into  prison,  some  will  be  exiled,  some  will  be  treated 
as  slaves.  To  human  wisdom,  all  this  now  seems  impos- 
sible; but  as  the  restraining  ^'Spirit  of  God  shall  be  with- 
drawn from  men,  and  they  shall  be  under  the  control  of 
Satan,  who  hates  the  divine  precepts,  there  will  be  strange 
developments.  The  heart  can  be  very  cruel  when  God's 
fear  and  love  are  removed. 

As  tha.  ^tqrm  approaches,  a  large  class  who  have  pro- 
fpRsp|][^|p^i^j^  ^fi*.  til  ^  ^(bird  anger§,. message,  Ijut  Imve  not  been 
sanctified  through  obedience  to  the  truth,  ulumdon  their 
position,  and  join  the  ranks  of  the  opposition.  By  uiaiting 
with  the  world  and  partaking  of  its  spirit,  they  have  conie 
to  view  matters  in  nearly  the  sairle  light;  and  when  the 
test  is  brought,  they  are  prepared  to  choose  the  easy,  popu- 
lar side.  Men  of  tal^ifl!  and  pleasing  address,  who  once 
rejoiced  in  the  truth,  employ  their  powers  to  deceive  ghd 
mislead  souls.  They  beeome  the  most  bitter  enemies  of  their 
former  brethren.  WIk'H  Salitiatli-kcL'pf^i-s  are  brought  be- 
foi-c  tlu'  eoiirts  to  answer  for  tlieir  faith,  these  apostates 
are  tli<'  lll()^t  efficient  agents  of  Satan  to  misrepresent  and 
accuse  them,  and"  by  false  reports  and  insinuations  to  stir 
up  the  rulers  against  them. 

In  this  time  of  persecution  the  faith  of  the  Lord's 
servants  will  be  tried.  They  have  faithfully  given  the 
warning,  looking  to  God  and  to  His  word  alone.  God's 
Spirit,  moving  upon  their  hearts,  has  constrained  them  to 
speak.     Stimulated  with  holy  zeal,  and  with  the  divine  im- 

'2  Tim.  3:12. 


THE  FINAL    WARNING  609 

pulse  strong  tipon  them,  they  entered  upon  the  performance 
of  their  duties  without  coldly  calculating  the  consequences 
of  speaking  to  the  people  the  word  which  the  Lord  had 
given  them.  They  have  not  consulted  their  temporal  inter- 
ests, nor  sought  to  preserve  their  reputation  or  their  lives. 
Yet  when  the  storm  of  opposition  and  reproach  bursts  upon 
them,  some,  overwhelmed  with  consternation,  will  be  ready 
to  exclaim,  "Had  we  foreseen  the  consequences  of  our 
words,  we  would  have  held  our  peace."  They  are  hedged 
in  with  difficulties.  Satan  assails  them  with  fierce  tempta- 
tions. The  work  which  they  have  undertaken  seems  far 
beyond  their  ability  to  accomplish.  They  are  threatened 
with  destruction.  The  enthusiasm  which  animated  them  is 
gone;  yet  they  cannot  turn  back.  Then,  feeling  their  utter 
helplessness,  they  flee  to  the  Mighty  One  for  strength.  They 
remember  that  the  words  which  they  have  spoken  were  not 
theirs,  but  His  who  bade  them  give  the  warning.  God  put 
the  truth  into  their  hearts,  and  they  could  not  forbear  to 
proclaim  it. 

The  same  trials  have  been  experienced  by  men  of  God  in 
ages  past.  Wycliffe,  Huss,  Luther,  Tyndale,  Baxter,  Wesley, 
urged  that  all  doctrines  be  brought  to  the  test  of  the  Bible, 
and  declared  that  they  would  renounce  everything  which 
it  condemned.  Against  these  men,  persecution  raged  with 
relentless  fury;  yet  they  ceased  not  to  declare  the  truth. 
Different  periods  in  the  history  of  the  church  have  each 
been  marked  by  the  development  of  some  special  truth, 
adapted  to  the  necessities  of  God's  people  at  that  time. 
Every  new  truth  has  made  its  way  against  hatred  and  oppo- 
sition; those  who  were  blessed  with  its  light  were  tempted 
and  tried.  The  Lord  gives  a  special  truth  for  the  people 
in  an  emergency.  Who  dare  refuse  to  publish  it?  He  com- 
mands His  servants  to  present  the  last  invitation  of  mercy 
to  the  world.  They  cannot  remain  silent,  except  at  the 
peril  of  their  souls.     Christ's  ambassadors  have  nothing  to 


20— G.  C. 


'eiO  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

do  with  consequences.  They  must  perforin  their  duty,  and 
leave  results  with  God. 

As  the  opposition  rises  to  a  fiercer  height,  the  servants  of 
God  are  again  perplexed;  for  it  seems  to  them  that  they 
have  brought  the  crisis.  But  conscience  and  the  word  of 
God  assure  them  that  their  course  is  right;  and  although 
the  trials  continue,  they  are  strengthened  to  bear  them. 
The  contest  grows  closer  and  sharper,  but  their  faith  and 
courage  rise  with  the  emergency.  Their  testimony  is:  "We 
dare  not  tamper  with  God's  word,  dividing  His  holy  law; 
calling  one  portion  essential  and  another  non-essential,  to 
gain  the  favor  of  the  world.  The  Lord  whom  we  serve  is 
a))le  to  deliver  us.  Christ  has  conquered  the  powers  of 
earth ;  and  shall  we  be  afraid  of  a  world  already  con- 
quered ? ' ' 

Tersecution  in  its  varied  forms  is  the  development  of  a 
principle  which  will  exist  as  long  as  Satau  exists  and  Chris- 
tianity has  vital  power.  No  man  can  serve  God  without 
enlisting  agaijist  himself  the  opposition  of  the  hosts  of 
darkness.  Evil  angels  will  assail  him,  alarmed  that  his  in- 
fluence is  taking  the  prey  from  their  hands.  Evil  men,  re- 
buked by  his  example,  will  unite  with  them  in  seeking  to 
separate  him  from  God  by  alluring  temptations.  "When 
these  do  not  succeed,  then  a  compelling  power  is  employed 
to  force  tlie  conscience. 

But  so  long  as  Jesus  remains  man's  intercessor  in  the 
sanctuary  above,  the  restraining  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  felt  by  rulers  and  people.  It  still  controls,  to  some  ex- 
tent, the  laws  of  the  laud.  Were  it  not  for  these  laws,  the 
condition  of  the  world  would  be  much  worse  than  it  now 
is.  While  many  of  our  rulers  are  active  agents  of  Satan, 
God  also  has  His  agents  among  the  leading  men  of  the 
nationi '  The  enemy  moves  upon  his  servants  to  propose 
measures  that  would  greatly  impede  the  work  of  God ;  but 
statesmen  who  fear  the  Lord  are  influenced  by  holy  angels 
to  oppose   such  propositions  with  unanswerable  arguments. 


.0  .D— Oi: 


THE  FINAL    WARNING  WT  eil 

Thus  a  few  men  will  hold  in  check  a  powerful  current  of 
evil.  The  opposition  of  the  enemies  of  truth  will  be  re- 
strained that  the  third  angel's  message  may  do  its  work. 
When  the  final  warning  shall  be  given,  it  will  arrest  the 
attention  of  these  leading  men  through  whom  the  Lord  is 
now  working,  and  some  of  them  will  accept  it,  and  will 
stand  with  the  people  of  God  through  the  time  of  trouble. 

The  angel  who  unites  in  the  proclamation  of  the  third 
angel's  message,  is  to  lighten  the  whole  earth  with  his  glory. 
A  work  of  world-wide  extent  and  unwonted  power  is  here 
foretold.  The  Advent  Movement  of  1840-44  was  a  glorious, 
manifestation  of  the  power  of  God;  the  first  angel's  mes- 
sage was  carried  to  every  missionary  station  in  the  world, 
and  in  some  countries  there  was  the  greatest  religious 
interest  which  has  been  witnessed  in  any  land  since  the 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century;  but  these  are  to  be 
exceeded  by  the  mighty  movement  under  the  last  warning 
of  the  third  angel. 

The  work  will  be  similar  to  that  of  the  day  of  Pentecost. 
As  the  "former  rain"  was  given,  in  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  at  the  opening  of  the  gospel,  to  cause  the  up- 
springing  of  tlic  precious  seed,  so  the  "latter  rain"  will  be 
given  at  its  close,  for  the  ripening  of  the  harvest.  "Then 
shall  we  know,  if  we  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord:  His  going 
forth  is  prepared  as  the  morning;  and  lie  shall  come  unto 
us  as  the  rain,  as  the  latter  and  former  rain  unto  the 
earth."*  "Be  glad  then,  ye  children  of  Zion,  and  rejoice 
in  the  Lord  your  God :  for  He  hath  given  you  the  former 
rain  moderately,  and  He  will  cause  to  come  down  for  you 
the  rain,  the  former  rain,  and  the  latter  rain. "  "^  "In  the 
last  days,  saith  God,  I  will  pour  out  of  ]\Iy  Spirit  upon  all 
flesh."  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  shall 
call  on  the  name  of  the   Lord  shall  be  saved."' 

The  great  work  of  the  gospel  is  not  to  close  with  less 
manifestation  of  the  power  of  God  than  marked  its  open- 
ing. Th^  prophecies  which  were  fulfilled  in  the  outpouring 
^Hosea  6:3.  'Joel  2:23.  'Acts  2:17.  21. 


612  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  the  former  rain  at  the  opening  of  the  gospel,  are  again 
to  be  fulfilled  in  the  latter  rain  at  its  close.  Here  are  "the 
times  of  refreshing"  to  which  the  apostle  Peter  looked  foi*- 
ward  when  he  said,  "Repent  ye  therefore,  and  be  con- 
verted, that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out  when  the  times 
of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  and 
He  shall  send  Jesus. "  * 

Servants  of  God,  with  their  faces  lighted  up  and  shining 
with  holy  consecration,  will  hasten  from  place  to  place  to 
proclaim  the  message  from  heaven.  By  thousands  of  voices, 
all  over  the  earth,  tlie  warning  will  be  given.  Miracles 
will  be  wrought,  the  sick  will  be  healed,  and  signs  and 
wonders  will  follow  the  believers.  Satan  also  works  with 
lying  wonders,  even  bringing  down  fire  from  heaven  in  the 
sight  of  men.'  Thus  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  will  be 
brought  to  take  their  stand. 

i:  The  message  will  be  carried  not  so  much  by  argument 
as  by  the  deep  conviction  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  argu- 
ments have  been  presented.  The  seed  has  been  sown,  and 
now  it  will  spring  up  and  bear  fruit.  The  publications  dis- 
tributed by  missionary  workers  have  exerted  their  influence, 
yet  many  whose  minds  were  impressed  have  been  prevented 
from  fully  comprehending  the  truth  or  from  yielding  obe- 
dience. Now  the  rays  of  light  penetrate  everywhere,  the 
truth  is  seen  in  its  clearness,  and  the  honest  children  of  God 
sever  the  bands  which  have  held  them.  Family  connec- 
tions, church  relations,  are  powerless  to  stay  them  now. 
Truth  is  more  precious  than  all  besides.  Notwithstanding 
the  agencies  combined  against  the  truth,  a  large  number 
take  their  stand  upon   the   Lord's   side. 

»Aets  3:19,  20.  "Rev.  13:13. 


..'0  .B&a<jLI 


"THE  TIME   OF  TROUBLE"-39 

■b 

"At  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  princei 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people:  and  there 
shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there 
was  a  nation  even  to  that  same  time :  and  at  that  time  thy 
people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found 
written  in  the  book."* 

Wlien  the  third  angel's  message  closes,  mercy  no  lo^gp^ 
pleads  for  llie  guilty  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  The  people, 
of  God  have  acctomplisliod  thoir  work.  They  have  received 
"the  latter  rain,"  "tlie  refreshing  from  the  presence  of 
tlie  Lord,"  and  they  are  prepared  for  the  trying  hour  before 
them.  i\ngels  are  hastening  to  and  fro  in  heaven.  An 
angel  returning  from  the  earth  announces  that  his  work  is 
done;  the  final  test  has  been  brought  upon  tlie  world,  and 
all  who  have  proved  themselves  loyal  to  the  divine  precepts 
have  received  "the  seal  of  the  living  God."  Then  Jesus 
ceases  His  intercession  in  the  sanctuary  above.  He  lifts 
His  hands,  and  with  a  loud  voice  says,  "It  is  done;"  and 
all  the  angelic  host  lay  off  their  crowns  as  He  makes  tlie 
solemn  announcement:  "He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  un- 
just still:  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still:  and 
he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still:  and  he  that  is 
holy,  let  him  be  holy  still."*  Every  case  has  been  decided 
for  life  or  death.     Christ  has  made  the  atonement  for  His 


Dan.  12:1. 


Eev.  22:11. 

(613) 


614  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

people,  and  blotted  out  their  sins.  The  number  of  His  sub- 
jects is  made  up ;  "  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the 
greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,"  is 
about  to  be  given  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  and  Jesus  is  to 
reign  as  King  of  kings,   and   Lord  of  lords. 

Wlien  He  leaves  the  sanctuary,  darkness  covers  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth.  In  that  fearful  time  the  righteous 
must  live  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God  without  an  intercessor. 
The  restraint  which  has  been  upon  the  wicked  is  removed, 
and  Satan  has  entire  control  of  the  finally  impenitent.  God's 
long-suffering  has  ended.  The  world  has  rejected  His  mercy, 
despised  His  love,  and  trampled  upon  His  law.  The  wicked 
have  passed  the  boundary  of  their  probation;  the  Spirit  of 
God,  persistently  resisted,  has  been  at  last  withdrawn.  Un- 
sheltered by  divine  grace,  they  have  no  protection  from  the 
wicked  one.  Satan  will  then  plunge  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  into  one  great,  final  trouble.  As  the  angels  of  God 
cease  to  liold  in  check  the  fierce  winds  of  human  passion, 
all  the  elements  of  strife  will  be  let  loose.  The  whole  world 
will  be  involved'  in  ruin  more  terrible  than  that  which  came 
upon  Jerusalem  of  old. 

A  single  angel  destroyed  all  the  first-born  of  the  Egyp- 
tians, and  filled  the  land  with  mourning.  When  David 
offended  against  God  by  num])ering  the  people,  one  angel 
caused  that  terrible  destruction  by  which  his  sin  was  pun- 
ished. The  same  destructive  power  exercised  by  holy  angels 
when  God  commands,  will  be  exercised  by  evil  angels  when 
He  permits.  There  are  forces  now  ready,  and  only  waiting 
the  divine  permission,  to  spread  desolation  everywhere. 

Those  who  honor  the  law  of  God  have  been  accused  of 
bringing  judgments  upon  the  world,  and  they  will  be  re- 
garded as  the  cause  of  the  fearful  convulsions  of  nature  and 
the  strife  and  bloodshed  among  men  that  are  filling  the 
earth  with  woe.  The  power  attending  the  last  warning  has 
enraged  the  wicked;  their  anger  is  kindled  against  all  who 


THE   TIME   OF  TROUBLE  6l6 

have  received  tlie  message,  and  Satan  will  excite  to  still 
greater  intensity  the  spirit  of  hatred  and  persecution. 

When  God's  presence  was  finally  witlidrawn  from  the 
Jewish  nation,  priests  and  people  knew  it  not.  Though 
under  the  control  of  Satan,  and  swayed  by  the  most  horrible 
and  malignant  passions,  they  still  regarded  themselves  as 
the  chosen  of  God.  The  ministration  in  tlie  temple  con- 
tinued; sacrifices  were  offered  upon  its  polluted  altars,  and 
daily  the  divine  blessing  was  invoked  upon  a  people  guilty 
of  the  blood  of  God's  dear  Son,  and  seeking  to  slay  His  min- 
isters and  apostles.  So  when  the  irrevocable  decision  of 
the  sanctuary  has  been  pronounced,  add  the  destiny  of  the 
world  has  been  forever  fixed,  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
will  know  it  not.  Tlie  forms  of  religion  will  be  continued 
by  a  people  from  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  has  been  finallj'' 
withdrawn;  and  the  satanic  zeal  with  which  the  prince  of 
evil  will  inspire  tliem  for  the  actcomplishment  of  his  malig- 
nant designs,  will  bear  the  semblance  of  zeal  for  God. 

As  the  Sabbath  has  become  the  special  point  of  contro- 
versy througliout  C'liristendom,  and  religious  and  secular 
authorities  have  combined  to  enforce  the  observance  of  the 
Sunday,  the  persistent  refusal  of  a  small  minority  to  yield 
to  the  popular  demand,  will  make  them  objects  of  universal 
execration.  It  will  be  urged  that  the  few  who  stand  in  op- 
position to  an  institution  of  the  church  and  a  law  of  the 
state,  ought  not  to  be  tolerated;  that  it  is  better  for  them  to 
suffer  than  for  whole  nations  to  be  thrown  into  confusion 
and  lawlessness.  The  same  argument  eighteen  hundred 
years  ago  was  brought  against  Christ  by  the  "rulers  of  the 
people."  "It  is  expedient  i'or  us,"  said  the  wily  Caiaphas, 
"that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people,  and  that  the  whole 
nation  perish  not."'  This  argument  will  appear  conclusive; 
and  a  decree  will  finally  be  issued  against  those  who  liallow 
the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment,  denouncing  them 
as  deserving  of  the  severest  punishment,  and  giving  the 
people  liberty,  after  a  certain  time,  to  put  them  to  death. 

'John  11:50. 


616  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Romanism  in  the  Old  World,  and  apostate  Protestantism  in 
the  New,  will  pursue  a  similar  course  toward  those  who 
honor  all  the  divine  precepts. 

The  people  of  God  will  then  be  plunged  into  those  scenes 
of  affliction  and  distress  described  by  the  propliet  as  the 
time  of  Jacob's  trouble.  "Thus  saith  the  Lord:  We  have 
heard  a  voice  of  trembling,  of  fear,  and  not  of  peace.  .  .  . 
All  faces  are  turned  into  paleness.  Alas!  for  that  day  is 
great,  so  that  none  is  like  it:  it  is  even  the  time  of  Jacob's 
trouble;  but  he  shall  be  saved  out  of  it."* 

Jacob's  night  of  anguish,  when  he  wi-estled  in  prayer  for 
deliverance  from  the  hand  of  Esau,'  represents  the  expe- 
rience of  God's  people  in  the  time  of  trou})le.  Because  of 
the  deception  practised  to  secure  his  father's  blessing,  in- 
tended for  Esau,  Jacob  had  fled  for  his  life,  alarmed  by 
his  brother's  deadly  threats.  After  remaining  for  many 
years  an  exile,  he  had  set  out,  at  God's  command,  to  return 
with  his  wives  and  children,  liis  flocks  aiul  herds,  to  his 
native  country.  On  reaching  the  borders  of  the  land,  he 
was  flllcd  with  terror  l)y  the  tidings  of  Esau's  approach  at 
the  head  of  a  band  of  warriors,  doubtless  bent  up(m  revenge. 
Jacob's  company,  unarmed  and  defenseless,  seemed  about  to 
fall  helpless  victims  of  violence  and  slaughter.  And  to  the 
burden  of  anxiety  and  fear  was  added  the  crushing  weight 
of  self-reproach;  for  it  was  his  own  sin  that  had  brought 
this  danger.  His  only  hope  was  in  the  mercy  of  God;  his 
only  defense  must  be  prayer.  Yet  he  leaves  nothing  un- 
done on  his  own  part  to  atone  for  the  wrong  to  his  brother, 
and  to  avert  the  threatened  danger.  So  should  the  followers 
of  Christ,  as  they  approach  the  time  of  trouble,  make  every 
exertion  to  place  themselves  in  a  proper  light  before  the 
people,  to  disarm  prejudice,  and  to  avert  the  danger  which 
threatens  liberty  of  conscience. 

Having  sent  his  family  away,  that  they  may  not  witness 
his  distress,  Jacob  remains  alone  to  intercede  with  God.  He 
confesses  his  sin,  and  gratefully  acknowledges  the  mercy  of 
^Jer.  30:5-7.  *Gen.  32:24-30. 


THE  TIME   OF  TROUBLE  617 

God  toward  him,  while  with  deep  humiliation  he  pleads  the 
covenant  made  with  his  fathers,  and  the  promises  to  him- 
self in  the  night  \dsiori  at  Bethel  and  in  the  land  of  his 
exile.  The  crisis  in  his  life  has  come ;  everything  is  at 
stake.  In  the  darkness  and  solitude  he  continues  praying 
and  humbling  himself  before  God.  Suddenly  a  hand  is 
laid  upon  his  shoulder.  He  thinks  that  an  enemy  is  seek- 
ing his  life,  and  with  all  the  energy  of  despair  he  wrestles 
with  his  assailant.  As  the  day  begins  to  break,  the  stranger 
puts  forth  his  superhuman  power:  at  his  touch  the  strong 
man  seems  paralyzed,  and  he  falls,  a  helpless,  weeping  sup- 
pliant, upon  the  neck  of  his  mysterious  antagonist.  Jacob 
knows  now  that  it  is  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant  with  whom 
he  has  been  in  conflict.  Thongh  disabled,  and  suffering  the 
keenest  pain,  he  does  not  relinquish  his  purpose.  Long  has 
he  endured  perplexity,  remorse,  and  trouble  for  his  sin;  now 
he  must  have  the  assurance  that  it  is  pardoned.  The  divine 
visitant  seems  about  to  depart;  but  Jacob  clings  to  Him, 
pleading  for  a  blessing.  The  Angel  urges,  "Let  Me  go;  for 
the  day  breaketh;"  but  the  patriarch  exclaims,  *'I  will  not 
let  Thee  go,  except  Thou  bless  me."  What  confidence,  what 
firmness  and  perseverance,  are  here  displayed!  Had  this 
been  a  boastful,  presumptuous  claim,  Jacob  would  have  been 
instantly  destroyed;  but  his  was  the  assurance  of  one  who 
confesses  his  weakness  and  unworthiness,  yet  trusts  the 
mercy  of  a  covenant-keeping  God. 

"He  had  power  over  the  Angel,  and  prevailed.'" 
Through  humiliation,  repentance,  and  self-surrender,  this 
sinful,  erring  mortal  prevailed  with  the  INIajesty  of  heaven. 
He  had  fastened  his  trembling  grasp  upon  the  promises  of 
God,  and  the  heart  of  Infinite  Love  could  not  turn  away 
the  sinner's  plea.  As  an  evidence  of  his  triumph,  and  an 
encouragement  to  others  to  imitate  his  example,  his  name 
was  changed  from  one  which  was  a  reminder  of  his  sin, 
to  one  that  commemorated  his  victory.  And  the  fact  that 
Jacob  had  prevailed  with   God  was  an   assurance  that  he 

»Hosea  12:4. 


618  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

would  prevail  with  men.  He  no  longer  feared  to  encotin- 
ter  his  brother's  anger;  for  the  Lord  was  his  defense. 

Satan  had  accused  Jacob  before  the  angels  of  God,  claim- 
ing the  right  to  destroy  him  because  of  his  sin;  he  had 
moved  upon  Esau  to  march  against  him;  and  during  the 
patriarch's  long  night  of  wrestling,  Satan  endeavored  to 
force  upon  him  a  sense  of  his  guilt,  in  order  to  discourage 
him,  and  break  his  hold  upon  God.  Jacob  was  driven 
almost  to  despair;  but  he  knew  that  without  help  from 
heaven  he  must  perish.  He  had  sincerely  repented  of  his 
great  sin,  and  he  appealed  to  the  mercy  of  God.  He  would 
not  be  turned  from  his  purpose,  but  held  fast  the  Angel,  and 
urged  his  petition  with  earnest,  agonizing  cries,  until  he 
prevailed. 

As  Satan  influenced  Esau  to  march  against  Jacob,  so  he 
will  stir  up  the  wicked  to  destroy  God's  people  in  the  time 
of  trouble.  And  as  he  accused  Jacob,  he  will  urge  'his  accu- 
sations against  the  people  of  God.  He  numbers  the  world 
as  bis  su]>jects;  but  the  little  company  who  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God  are  resisting  his  supremacy.  If  he  could 
blot  them  from  the  earth,  his  triumph  would  be  complete. 
He  sees  that  holy  angels  are  guarding  them,  and  he  infers 
that  their  sins  have  been  pardoned;  but  he  does  not  know 
that  their  cases  have  been  decided  in  the  sanctuary  above. 
He  has  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  sins  which  he  has 
tempted  them  to  commit,  and  he  presents  these  before  God 
in  the  most  exaggerated  light,  representing  this  people  to 
be  just  as  deserving  as  himself  of  exclusion  from  the  favor 
of  God.  He  declares  that  the  Lord  cannot  in  justice  for- 
give their  sins,  and  yet  destroy  him  and  his  angels.  He 
claims  them  as  his  prey,  and  demands  that  they  be  given 
into  his  hands  to  destroy. 

As  Satan  accuses  the  people  of  God  on  account  of  their 
sins,  the  Lord  permits  him  to  try  them  to  the  uttermost. 
Their  confidence  in  God,  their  faith  and  firmness,  ^^dll  be 
severely  tested.     As  they  review  the  past,  their  hopes  sink; 


THE  TIME   OF  TROUBLE  619 

for  in  their  whole  lives  they  can  see  little  good.  They  are 
fully  conscious  of  their  weakness  and  unworthiness.  Satan 
endeavors  to  terrify  them  with  the  thought  that  their  eases 
are  hopeless,  that  the  stain  of  their  defilement  will  never 
be  .washed  away.  He  hopes  so  to  destroy  their  faith  that 
they  will  yield  to  his  temptations,  and  turn  from  their  alle- 
giance to  God. 

Though  God's  people  will  be  surrounded  by  enemies  who 
are  bent  upon  their  destruction,  yet  the  anguish  which  they 
suffer  is  not  a  dread  of  persecution  for  the  truth's  sake; 
they  fear  tliat  every  sin  has  not  been  repented  of,  and 
that  through  some  fault  in  themselves  they  will  fail  to 
realize  the  fulfilment  of  the  Saviour's  promise,  *'I  will  keep 
thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which  shall  come  upon 
all  the  world. "  ^  If  they  could  have  the  assurance  of 
pardon,  they  would  not  shrink  from  torture  or  death;  but 
should  they  prove  unworthy,  and  lose  their  lives  because  of 
their  own  defects  of  character,  then  God's  holy  name  would 
be  reproached. 

On  every  hand  they  hear  the  plottings  of  treason,  and 
see  the  active  working  of  rebellion;  and  there  is  aroused 
within  them  an  intense  desire,  an  earnest  yearning  of  soul, 
that  this  great  apostasy  may  be  terminated,  and  the  wick- 
edness of  the  wicked  may  come  to  an  end.  But  while  they 
plead  with  God  to  stay  the  work  of  rebellion,  it  is  with  a 
keen  sense  of  self-reproach  that  they  themselves  have  no 
more  power  to  resist  and  urge  back  the  mighty  tide  of  evil. 
They  feel  that  had  they  always  employed  all  their  ability 
in  the  service  of  Christ,  going  forward  from  strengtli  to 
strength,  Satan's  forces  would  have  less  power  to  prevail 
against  them. 

They  afflict  their  souls  before  God,  pointing  to  their  past 
repentance  of  their  many  sins,  and  pleading  the  Saviour's 
promise,  "Let  him  take  hold  of  My  strength,  that  he  may 
make  peace  with  IMe ;  and  he  shall  make  peace  with  Me. ' ' ' 
Their  faith  does  not  fail  because  their  prayers  are  not  im- 
»Kev.  3:10.  » Isa   27:.'> 


620  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

mediately  answered.  Though  suffering  the  keenest  anxiety, 
terror,  and  distress,  they  do  not  cease  their  intercessions. 
The}'-  lay  hold  of  the  strength  of  God  as  Jacob  laid  hold  of 
the  Angel ;  and  the  language  of  their  souls  is,  "I  will  not  let 
Thee  go,  except  Thou  bless  me." 

Had  not  Jacob  previously  repented  of  his  sin  in  ob- 
taining the  birthright  by  fraud,  God  would  not  have  heard 
his  prayer  and  mercifully  preserved  his  life.  So,  in  the 
time  of  trouble,  if  the  people  of  God  had  uneonfessed  sins 
to  appear  before  tliem  wliile  tortured  with  fear  and  anguish, 
they  would  be  overwhelmed;  despair  would  cut  off  their 
faith,  and  they  could  not  have  confidence  to  plead  with  God 
for  deliverance.  But  while  they  have  a  deep  sense  of  their 
un worthiness,  they  have  no  concealed  wrongs  to  reveal. 
Their  sins  liave  gone  beforeliand  to  judgment,  and  have  been 
blotted  out;  and  they  cannot  bring  them  to  remembrance. 

Satan  leads  many  to  believe  that  God  mil  overlook  their 
unfaithfulness  in  the  minor  affairs  of  life;  but  the  Lord 
shows  in  His  dealings  with  Jacob  that  He  will  in  no  wise 
sanction  or  tolerate  evil.  All  who  endeavor  to  excuse  or 
conceal  their  sins,  and  permit  them  to  remain  upon  the 
books  of  heaven,  uneonfessed  and  unforgiven,  will  be  over- 
come by  Satan.  The  more  exalted  their  profession,  and  the 
more  honorable  the  position  which  they  hold,  the  more 
grievous  is  their  course  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  the  more 
sure  the  triumph  of  their  great  adversary.  Those  who 
delay  a  preparation  for  the  day  of  God  cannot  obtain  it 
in  the  time  of  trouble,  or  at  any  subsequent  time.  The 
ease  of  all  such  is  hopeless. 

Those  professed  Christians  who  come  up  to  that  last  fear- 
ful conliict  unprepared,  Anil,  in  their  despair,  confess  their 
sins  in  words  of  burning  anguish,  while  the  vsdcked  exult 
over  their  distress.  These  confessions  are  of  the  same  char- 
acter as  was  that  of  Esau  or  of  Judas.  Those  who  make 
them,  lament  the  )-esult  of  transgression,  but  not  its  guilt 
They  feel  no  true  contrition,  no  abhorrence  of  evil.     They 


^iTHE  TIME  OF  TROUBLE  .    621 

acknowledge  their  sin,  through  fear  of  punishment;  but,  like 
Pharaoh  of  old,  they  would  return  to  their  defiance  of 
Heaven,  should  the  judgments  be  removed. 

Jacob 's  history  is  also  an  assurance  that  God  will  not 
cast  off  those  who  have  been  deceived,  and  tempted,  and  be- 
trayed into  sin,  but  who  have  returned  unto  Him  with  true 
repentance.  While  Satan  seeks  to  destroy  this  class,  God 
will  send  His  angels  to  comfort  and  protect  them  in  the 
time  of  peril.  The  assaults  of  Satan  are  fierce  and  deter- 
mined, his  delusions  are  terrible;  but  the  Lord's  eye  is  upon 
His  people,  and  His  ear  listens  to  their  cries.  Their  afflic- 
tion is  great,  the  flames  of  the  furnace  seem  about  to  con- 
sume them;  but  the  Refiner  will  bring  them, forth  as  gold 
tried  in  the  fire.  God's  love  for  His  children  during  the 
period  of  their  severest  trial,  is  as  strong  and  tender  as  in 
the  days  of  their  sunniest  prosperity;  but  it  is  needful  for 
them  to  be  placed  iu  the  furnace  of  fire;  their  earthliness 
must  be  consumed,  that  the  image  of  Chi-ist  may  be  per- 
fectly reflected. 

The  season  of  distress  and  anguish  before  us  will  require 
a  faith  that  can  endure  weariness,  delay,  and  hunger, —  a 
faith  that  will  not  faint,  though  severely  tried.  The  period 
of  probation  is  granted  to  all  to  prepare  for  that  time. 
Jacob  prevailed  because  he  was  persevering  and  deter- 
mined. His  victory  is  an  evidence  of  the  power  of  impor- 
tunate prayer.  All  who  will  lay  hold  of  God's  promises, 
as  he  did,  and  be  as  earnest  and  persevering  as  he  was,  will 
succeed  as  he  succeeded.  Those  who  are  unwilling  to  deny 
self,  to  agonize  before  God.  to  pray  long  and  earnestly  for 
His  blessing,  will  not  obtain  it.  Wrestling  with  God  —  how 
few  know  what  it  is !  How  few  have  ever  had  their  souls 
drawn  out  after  God  with  intensity  of  desire  until  every 
power  is  on  the  stretch.  When  waves  of  despair  which  no 
language  can  express  sweep  over  the  suppliant,  how  few 
cling  with  unyielding  faith  to  the  promises  of  God.' 


I 


622  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Those  who  exercise  but  little  faith  now,  are  in  the  great- 
est danger  of  falling  under  the  power  of  satanic  delusions 
and  the  decree  to  compel  the  conscience.  And  even  if  they 
endure  the  test,  they  will  be  plunged  into  deeper  distress 
and  anguish  in  the  time  of  trouble,  because  they  have  never 
made  it  a  habit  to  trust  in  God.  The  lessons  of  faith  which 
they  have  neglected,  they  will  be  forced  to  learn  under  a 
terrible  pressure  of  discouragement. 

^J||^g^^^houl^y,^2^^^|2,^^ 
Hisnromjggg,^  Angels  record  every  prayer  that  is  earnest 
and  sincere.  We  should  rather  dispense  with  selfish  grati- 
fications than  neglect  communion  with  God.  The  deepest 
poverty,  the  greatest  self-denial,  with  His  approval,  is  better 
than  riches,  honors,  ease,  and  friendship  without  it.  We 
must  take  time  to  pray.  If  we  allow  our  minds  to  be  ab- 
sorbed by  worldly  interests,  the  Lord  may  give  us  time  by 
removing  from  us  our  idols  of  gold,  of  houses,  or  of  fertile 
lands. 

The  young  would  not  be  seduced  into  sin  if  they  would 
refuse  to  enter  any  path  save  that  upon  which  they  could 
ask  God's  blessing.  If  the  messengers  who  bear  the  last 
solemn  warning  to  the  world  would  pray  for  the  blessing 
of  God;  not  in  a  cold,  listless,  lazy  manner,  but  fervently 
and  in  faith,  as  did  Jacob,  they  would  find  many  places 
where  they  could  say,  "I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and 
my  life  is  preserved."^  They  would  be  accounted  of 
heaven  as  princes,  having  jxtwer  to  i)revail  with  God  and 
with  men. 

The  "time  of  trouble  such  as  never  was,"  is  soon  to  open 
upon  us;  and  we  shall  need  an  experience  which  we  do  not 
now  possess,  and  which  many  are  too  indolent  to  obtain. 
It  is  often  the  case  that  trouble  is  greater  in  anticipation 
that  in  reality;  but  this  is  not  true  of  the  crisis  before  us. 
The.  most  vivid  presentation  cannot  reach  the  magnitude 
.0^1  the  ordeal.  In  that  time  of  trial,  every  soul  must  stand 
for  himself  before  God.  "Though  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job" 
were  in  the  land,  "as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  they  shall 

*Gen.  82:30. 


THE   TIME   OF  TROUBLE  623 

deliver   neither   son   nor   daughter;    they   shall    but    deliver 
their  own  soids  by   their   righteousness.'" 

Now,  while  our  great  High  Priest  is  making  the  atone- 
ment for  us,  we  should  seek  to  become  perfect  in  Christ. 
Not  even  by  a  thought  could  our  Saviour  be  brought  to 
yield  to  the  power  of  temptation.  Satan  finds  in  human 
hearts  some  point  where  he  can  gain  a  foothold;  some  sin- 
ful desire  is  cherished,  by  means  of  which  his  temptations 
assert  their  power.  But  Christ  declared  of  Himself,  "The 
prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  Me.'" 
Satan  could  find  nothing  in  the  Son  of  God  that  would 
enable  him  to  gain  the  victory.  He  had  kept  His  Father's 
commandments,  and  there  was  no  sin  in  Him  that  Satan 
could  use  to  his  advantage.  This  is  the  condition  in  which 
those  must  be  found  who  shall  stand  in  the  time  of  trouble. 

It  is  in  this  life  that  we  are  to  separate  sin  from  us, 
through  faith  in  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ.  Our  precious 
Saviour  invites  us  to  join  ourselves  to  Him,  to  unite  our 
weakness  to  His  strength,  our  ignorance  to  His  wisdom, 
our  unworthiness  to  His  merits.  God's  jirovidence  is  the 
school  in  which  we  are  to  learn  the  meekness  and  lowliness 
of  Jesus.  The  Lord  is  ever  setting  before  us,  not  the  way 
we  would  choose,  which  seems  easier  and  pleasanter  to  us, 
but  the  true  aims  of  life.  It  rests  with  us  to  co-operate 
with  the  agencies  which  Heaven  employs  in  the  work  of 
conforming  our  characters  to  the  divine  model.  None  can 
neglect  or  defer  this  work  but  at  the  most  fearful  peril 
to  their  souls. 

The  apostle  John  in  vision  heard  a  loud  voice  in  heaven 
exclaiming,  "Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the 
sea !  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having  great' 
wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time.'" 
Fearful  are  the  scenes  which  call  forth  this  exclamation 
from  the  heavenly  voice.  The  wrath  of  Satan  increases  as 
his  time  grows  short,  and  his  w'ork  of  deceit  and  destruc- 
tion will  reach  its  culmination  in  the  time  of  trouble. 
»Eze.  14:20,  ?John  14:30,  »Rev.  12:1^ 


^624  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

I'l'j  Fearful  sights  of  a  supernatural  character  will  soon  he 
revealed  in  the  heavens,  in  token  of  the  power  of  miracle- 
working  demons.  The  spirits  of  devik  will  go  forth  to  the 
kings  of  the  earth  and  to  the  whole  world,  to  fasten  them 
in  deception,  and  urge  them  on  to  unite  wdth  Satan  in  his 
last  struggle  against  the  government  of  heaven.  By  these 
agencies,  rulers  and  subjects  will  be  alike  deceived.  Per- 
sons wall  arise  pretending  to  be  Christ  Himself,  and  claiming 
the  title  and  worship  which  belong  to  the  world's  Redeemer. 
They  will  perform  wonderful  miracles  of  healing,  and  will 
profess  to  have  revelations  from  heaven  contradicting  the 
testimony  of  the   Scriptures.' 

As  the  crowning  act  in  the  great  drama  of  deception, 
Satan  himself  wilI_personate_XIiLcist.  The  church  has  long 
professed  to  look  to  the  Saviour's  advent  as  the  consum- 
mation of  her  hopes.  Now  the  great  deceiver  will  make 
it  appear  that  Christ  has  come.  In  different  parts  of  the 
earth,  Satan  will  manifest  himself  among  men  as  a  majeslic 
being  of  dazzling  brightness,  resembling  the  description  of 
the  Son  of  God  given  by  John  in  the  Revelation."  The 
glory  that  surrounds  him  is  unsurpassed  by  anything  that 
mortal  eyes  have  yet  beheld.  The  shout  of  triumph  rings 
oiit  upon  the  air,  "Christ  has  come!  Christ  has  come!" 
The  people  prostrate  themselves  in  adoration  before  him, 
while  he  lifts  up  his  hands,  and  pronounces  a  blessing  upon 
them,  as  Christ  blessed  His  disciples  when  He  was  uporj  the 
earth.  His  voice  is  soft  and  subdued,  yet  full  of  melody. 
In  gentle,  compassionate  tones  he  presents  some  of  the 
same  gracious,  heavenly  truths  which  the  Saviour  uttered; 
he  heals  the  diseases  of  the  people,  and  then,  in  his  assumed 
character  of  Christ,  he  claims  to  have  changed  the  Sab- 
bath to  Sunday,  and  commands  all  to  hallow  the  day 
which  he  has  blessed.  He  declares  that  those  who  persist  in 
keeping  holy  the  seventh  day  are  blaspheming  his  name 
by  refusing  to  listen  to  his  angels  sent  to  them  with  light 
and  truth.  This  is  the  strong,  almost  overmastering  delu- 
sion.    Jjike  the   Samaritans  who   were   deceived   by , ,  Simoa 


THE   TIMT:  of  trouble  625 

Magus,  the  multitudes,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  give 
heed  to  these  sorceries,  saying,  This  is  "the  great  power 
of  God."' 

But  the  people  of  God  will  not  be  misled.  The  teach-, 
ings  of  this  false  christ  are  not  in  accordance  with  the 
Scriptures.  His  blessing  is  pronounced  upon  the  worship- 
ers of  the  beast  and  his  image,  the  very  class  upon  whom 
the  Bible  declares  that  God's  unmingled  wrath  shall  be 
poured  out. 

And,  furthermore,  Satan  is  not  permitted  to  counter- 
feit the  manner  of  Christ's  advent.  The  Saviour  has  warned 
His  people  against  deception  upon  this  point,  and  has  clearly 
foretold  the  manner  of  His  second  coming.  ''There  shall 
arise  false  christs,  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  show  great 
signs  and  wonders;  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possible,  they 
shall  deceive  the  very  elect.  .  .  .  Wherefore  if  they  shall 
say  unto  you.  Behold,  He  ,is  in  the  desert;  go  not  forth: 
behold.  He  is  in  the  secret  chambers;  believe  it  not.  For 
as  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  even 
unto  the  west;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man 
be."'  This  coming,  there  is  no  possibility  of  counterfeiting. 
It  will  be  universally  known  —  witnessed  by  the  whole 
world.       .  . 

Only  those  who  have  been  diligent  students  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  who  have  received  the  love  of  the  truth,  vnW  be 
shielded  from  the  powerful  delusion  that  takes  the  world 
captive.  By  the  Bible  testimony  these  vdW  detect  the  de- 
ceiver in  his  disguise.  To  all,  the  testing  time  will  come. 
By  the  sifting  of  temptation,  the  genuine  Christian  wall  be 
revealed.  Are  the  people  of  God  now  so  firmly  estab- 
lished upon  His  word  that  they  would  not  yield  to  the  evi- 
dence of  their  senses?  Would  they,  in  such  a  crisis,  cling 
to  the  Bible,  and  the  Bible  only?  Satan  will,  if  possible, 
prevent  them  from  obtaining  a  preparation  to  stand  in 
that  day.  He  will  so  arrange  affairs  as  to  hedge  up  their 
way,  entangle  them  with  earthly  treasures,  cause  them  to 
carry  a  heavy,  wearisome  burden,  that  their  hearts  may  be 

'Acts  8:10. 
*Matt.  24:24-27,  31;  25;31j  Bev,  1:7;   1  Thess.  4:16,  17, 


626  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

overcharged  with  the  cares  of  this  life,  and  the  day  of  trial 
may  come  upon  them  as  a  thief. 

As  the  decree  issued  by  the  various  rulers  of  Christen- 
dom against  commandment-keepers  shall  withdraw  the  pro- 
tection of  government,  and  abandon  them  to  those  who 
desire  their  destruction,  the  people  of  God  will  flee  from 
the  cities  and  villages  and  associate  together  in  companies, 
dwelling  in  the  most  desolate  and  solitary  places.  Many 
will  find  refuge  in  the  strongholds  of  the  mountains.  Like 
the  Christians  of  the  Piedmont  valleys,  they  will  make  the 
high  places  of  the  earth  their  sanctuaries,  and  will  thank 
God  for  the  ' '  munitions  of  rocks. ' ' '  But  many  of  all  na- 
tions, and  of  all  classes,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  black 
and  white,  will  be  cast  into  the  most  unjust  and  cruel 
bondage,  Tlie  beloved  of  God  pass  weary  days,  bound  in 
chains,  shut  in  by  prison  bars,  sentenced  to  be  slain,  some 
apparently  left  to  die  of  starvation  in  dark  and  loathsome 
dungeons.  No  human  ear  is  open  to  hear  their  moans;  no 
human  hand  is  ready  to  lend  them  help. 

Will  the  Lord  forget  His  people  in  this  trying  hour? 
Did  He  forget  faithful  Noah  when  judgments  were  visited 
upon  the  antediluvian  world?  Did  He  forget  Lot  when  the 
fire  came  down  from  heaven  to  consume  the  cities  of  the 
plain?  Did  He  forget  Joseph  surrounded  by  idolaters  in 
Egypt?  Did  He  forget  Elijah  when  the  oath  of  Jezebel 
threatened  him  with  the  fate  of  the  prophets  of  Baal?  Did 
He  forget  Jeremiah  in  the  dark  and  dismal  pit  of  his 
prison-house?  Did  He  forget  the  three  worthies  in  the 
fiery  furnace?  or  Daniel  in  the  den  of  lions? 

"Zion  said,  Jehovah  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord 
hath  forgotten  me.  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child, 
that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her 
womb?  yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee. 
Behold.  I  have  graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  My  hands. ' ' ' 
The  Lord  of  hosts  has  said,  "He  that  toucheth  you,  touch- 
eth  the  apple  of  His  eye. "  * 

'Isa.  33:16.  =Isa.  49:14-16,  'Zech.  2:8. 


THE   TIME   OF  TROUBLE  627 

Though  enemies  may  thrust  them  into  prison,  yet  dun- 
geon walls  cannot  cut  off  the  communication  between  their 
souls  and  Christ.  One  who  sees  their  every  weakness,  who 
is  acquainted  with  every  trial,  is  above  all  earthly  powers; 
and  angels  will  come  to  them  in  lonely  cells,  bringing  light 
and  peace  from  heaven.  The  prison  will  be  as  a  palace; 
for  the  rich  in  faith  dwell  there,  and  the  gloomy  walls  will 
be  lighted  up  with  heavenly  light,  as  when  Paul  and 
Silas  prayed  and  sung  praises  at  midnight  in  the  Philip- 
pian  dungeon. 

God's  judgments  will  be  visited  upon  those  who  are 
seeking  to  oppress  and  destroy  His  people.  His  long  for- 
bearance with  the  wicked  emboldens  men  in  transgression, 
but  their  punishment  is  none  the  less  certain  and  terrible 
because  it  is  long  delayed.  ''The  Lord  shall  rise  up  as  in 
Mount  Perazim,  He  shall  be  wroth  as  in  the  valley  of 
Gibeon,  that  He  may  do  His  work,  His  strange  work;  and 
bring  to  pass  His  act.  His  strange  act. "  ^  To  our  merciful 
God  the  act  of  punishment  is  a  strange  act.  "As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked."'  The  Lord  is  "merciful  and  gracious,  long-suf- 
fering, and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  .  .  .  forgiving 
iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin."  Yet  He  will  "by 
no  means  clear  the  guilty."  "The  Lord  is  slow  to  anger, 
and  great  in  power,  and  will  not  at  all  acquit  the  wicked."' 
By  terrible  things  in  righteousness  He  will  vindicate  the 
authority  of  His  downtrodden  law.  The  severity  of  the  ret- 
ribution awaiting  the  transgressor  may  be  judged  by  the 
Lord's  reluctance  to  execute  justice.  The  nation  with  which 
He  bears  long,  and  which  He  will  not  smite  until  it  has 
filled  up  the  measure  of  its  iniquity  in  God's  account,  will 
finally  drink  the  cup  of  wrath  unmixed  with  mercy. 

When  Christ  ceases  His  intercession  in  the  sanctuary, 
the  unmingled  wrath  threatened  against  those  who  worship 
the  beast  and  his  image  and  receive  his  mark,'  will  be 
poured  out.  The  plagues  upon  Egypt  when  God  was  about 
to  deliver  Israel,  were  similar  in  character  to  those  more 

•188.28:21.  »Eze.33:ll.  =  Ex.  34  :6,  7;  Nabum  1:3. 

«Rev.   14:9.   10. 


628  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

terrible  and  extensive  judgments  which  are  to  fall  upon 
the  world  just  before  the  final  deliverance  of  God's  people. 
Says  the  revelator,  in  describing  those  terrific  scourges: 
"There  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  upon  the  men 
which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon  them  which  wor- 
shiped his  image."  The  sea  "became  as  the  blood  of  a 
dead  man :  and  every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea. "  And 
"the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters  .  .  .  became  blood." 
Terrible  as  these  inflictions  are,  God's  justice  stands  fully 
vindicated.  The  angel  of  God  declares:  "Thou  are  right- 
eous, 0  Lord,  .  .  .  because  Thou  hast  judged  thus.  For 
they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  and  Thou 
hast  given  them  blood  to  drink ;  for  they  are  worthy. ' ' ' 
By  condemning  the  people  of  God  to  death,  they  have  as 
truly  incurred  the  guilt  of  their  blood  as  if  it  had  been 
shed  by  their  hands.  In  like  manner  Christ  declared  the 
Jews  of  His  time  guilty  of  all  the  blood  of  holy  men  which 
had  been  shed  since  the  days  of  Abel;  for  they  possessed 
the  same  spirit,  and  were  seeking  to  do  the  same  work,  with 
these  murderers  of  the  prophets.  ,oJ  arft 

In  the  plague  that  follows,  power  is  given  to  the 'sun  "to 
scorch  men  with  fire.  And  men  were  scorched  with  great 
heat."'  The  prophets  thus  describe  the  condition  of  the 
earth  at  this  fearful  time :  ' '  The  land  mourneth ;  ... 
because  the  harvest  of  the  field  is  perished."  "All  the 
trees  of  the  field  are  withered:  because  joy  is  withered 
away  from  the  sons  of  men."  "The  seed  is  rotten  under 
their  clods,  the  garners  are  laid  desolate."  "How  do  the 
beasts  groan !  the  herds  of  cattle  are  perplexed,  because 
they  have  no  j)asture.  .  .  .  Tlie  rivers  of  waters  are  dried 
up,  and  the  fire  hath  devoured  the  pastures  of  the  wilder- 
ness." "The  songs  of  the  temple  shall  be  bowlings  in 
that  day,  saith  the  Lord  God:  there  shall  be  many  dead 
bodies  in  every  place ;  they  shall  cast  them  forth  with  .  si- 
lence.'" .  'r 

These  plagues  are  not  universal,  or  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  would  be  wholly  cut  off.     Yet  they  will  lie  the 

'Rev.  16:2-6,  8,  9.  ==  Joel  1:10-12,  17-20;  Amoa  8:3. 


THE  TIME   OF  TROUBLE  629 

most  awful  scourges  that  have  ever  been  known  to  mortals. 
All  the  judgments  upon  men,  prior  to  the  close  of  proba- 
tion, have  been  mingled  with  mercy.  The  pleading  blood 
of  Christ  has  shielded  the  sinner  from  receiving  the  full 
measure  of  his  guilt;  but  in  the  final  judgment,  wrath  is 
poured  out  unmixed  with  mercy. 

In  that  day,  multitudes  will  desire  the  shelter  of  God's 
mercy  which  they  have  so  long  despised.  "Behold,  the 
days  come,  saitli  the  Lord  God,  that  I  will  send  a  famine 
in  the  land,  not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  water, 
but  of  hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord:  and  they  shall 
wander  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  north  even  to  the 
east,  they  shall  run  to  and  fro  to  seek  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  shall  not  find  it."*  >- 

The  people  of  God  will  not  be  free  from  suffering;  but 
while  persecuted  and  distressed,  while  tliey  endure  priva- 
tion, and  suffer  for  want  of  food,  they  will  not  be  left  to 
perish.  That  God  who  cared  for  Elijah,  will  not  pass  by 
one  of  His  self-sacrificing  children.  He  w^ho  numbers  the 
hairs  of  their  head,  will  care  for  them;  and  in  time  of  fam- 
ine they  shall  be  satisfied.  While  the  wicked  are  dying 
from  hunger  and  pestilence,  angels  will  shield  the  right- 
eous, and  supply  their  wants.  To  him  that  "walketh 
righteously"  is  the  promise,  "Bread  shall  be  given  him;  his 
waters  shall  be  sure."  "When  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  tlieir  tongue  faileth  for  thirst, 
I  the  Lord  will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel  will  not  for- 
sake them. ' ' " 

"Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall 
fruit  be  in  the  vines;  the  labor  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and 
the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat;  the  fiock  sliall  be  cut  off 
from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls:" 
yet  shall  they  that  fear  Him  "rejoice  in  the  Lord,"  and 
joy  in  the  God  of  their  salvation.* 

' '  The  Lord  is  thy  keeper :  the  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy 
right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor  the 
moon    by   niglit.      The   Lord   shall   preserve   thee   from    all 

'Amos  8:11,  12.  =  Isa.  33:16;  41:17.  '  Hab.  3:17,  18. 


630  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

evil:  He  shall  preserve  thy  soul."  "He  shall  deliver  thee 
from  the  snare  of  the  fowler,  and  from  the  noisome  pesti- 
lence. He  shall  cover  thee  with  His  feathers,  and  under  His 
wings  shalt  thou  trust:  His  truth  shall  be  thy  shield  and 
buckler.  Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night; 
nor  for  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day;  nor  for  the  pestilence 
that  walketh  in  darkness;  nor  for  the  destruction  that  wast- 
eth  at  noonday.  A  thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side,  and  ten 
thousand  at  thy  right  hand;  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh 
thee.  Only  with  thine  eyes  shalt  thou  behold  and  see  the 
reward  of  the  wicked.  Because  thou  hast  made  the  Lord, 
M^hich  is  my  refuge,  even  the  Most  High,  thy  habitation; 
there  shall  no  evil  befall  thee,  neither  shall  any  plague 
come  nigh  thy  dwelling."* 

Yet  to  human  sight  it  will  appear  that  the  people  of  God 
must  soon  seal  their  testimony  with  their  blood,  as  did  the 
martyrs  before  them.  They  themselves  begin  to  fear  that 
the  Lord  has  left  them  to  fall  by  the  hand  of  their  enemies. 
It  is  a  time  of  fearful  agony.  Day  and  night  they  cry 
unto  God  for  deliverance.  The  wicked  exult,  and  the  jeer- 
ing cry  is  heard,  "Where  now  is  your  faith?  Why  does  not 
God  deliver  you  out  of  our  hands  if  you  are  indeed  His 
people?"  But  the  waiting  ones  remember  Jesus  dying  upon 
Calvary's  cross,  and  the  chief  priests  and  rulers  shouting 
in  mockery,  "He  saved  others;  Himself  He  cannot  save. 
K  He  be  the  King  of  Israel,  let  Him  now  come  down  from 
the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  Him."''  Like  Jacob,  all  are 
wrestling  with  God.  Their  countenances  express  their  in- 
ternal struggle.  Paleness  sits  upon  every  face.  Yet  they 
cease  not  their  earnest  intercession. 

Could  men  see  with  heavenly  vision,  they  Avould  behold 
companies  of  angels  that  excel  in  strength  stationed  about 
those  who  have  kept  the  word  of  Christ's  patience.  With 
sympathizing  tenderness,  angels  have  witnessed  their  dis- 
tress, and  have  heard  their  prayers.  They  are  waiting  the 
word  of  their  Commander  to  snatch  them  from  their  peril. 
But  they  must  wait  yet  a  little  longer.  The  people  of  God 
'Ps.  121:5-7;  91:3-10.  =  Matt.  27:42. 


THE  TIME   OF  TROUBLE  631 

must  drink  of  the  cup,  and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism. 
The  very  delay,  so  painful  to  them,  is  the  best  answer  to 
their  petitions.  As  they  endeavor  to  wait  trustingly  for  the 
Lord  to  work,  they  are  led  to  exercise  faith,  hope,  and  pa- 
tience, which  have  been  too  little  exercised  during  their 
religious  experience.  Yet  for  the  elect's  sake,  the  time  of 
trouble  will  be  shortened.  "Shall  not  God  avenge  His  own 
elect,  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  Him?  ...  I  tell 
you  that  He  Mall  avenge  them  speedily."^  The  end  Avill 
come  more  quickly  than  men  expect.  The  wheat  will  be 
gathered  and  bound  in  sheaves  for  the  garner  of  God;  the 
tares  will  be  bound  as  fagots  for  the  fires  of  destruction. 

The  heavenly  sentinels,  faithful  to  their  trust,  continue 
their  watch.  Though  a  general  decree  has  fixed  the  time 
when  commandment-keepers  may  be  put  to  death,  their 
enemies  will  in  some  cases  anticipate  the  decree,  and  before 
the  time  specified,  will  endeavor  to  take  their  lives.  But 
none  can  pass  the  mighty  guardians  stationed  about  every 
faithful  soul.  Some  are  assailed  in  their  flight  from  the 
cities  and  villages;  but  the  swords  raised  against  them  break 
and  fall  as  powerless  as  a  straw.  Others  are  defended  by 
angels  in  the  form  of  men  of  war. 

In  all  ages,  God  has  wrought  through  holy  angels  for 
the  succor  and  deliverance  of  His  people.  Celestial  beings 
have  taken  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  men.  They 
have  appeared  clothed  in  garments  that  shone  as  the 
lightning;  they  have  come  as  men,  in  the  garb  of  way- 
farers. Angels  have  appeared  in  human  form  to  men  of 
God.  They  have  rested,  as  if  weary,  under  the  oaks  at 
noon.  They  have  accepted  the  hospitalities  of  human 
homes.  They  have  acted  as  guides  to  benighted  travelers.. 
They  have,  with  their  own  hands,  kindled  the  fires  of  the 
altar.  They  have  opened  prison  doors,  and  set  free  the 
servants  of  the  Lord.  Clothed  wdth  the  panoply  of  heaven, 
they  came  to  roll  away  the  stone  from  the  Saviour's  tomb. 

In  the  form  of  men,  angels  are  often  in  the  assemblies  of 
the  righteous,  and  they  visit  the  assemblies  of  the  wicked, 
»Luke  18:7,  8. 


632  THE  GBEAT  CONTROVERSY 

as  they  went  to  Sodom,  to  make  a  record  of  their  deeds,  to 
determine  whether  they  have  passed  the  boundary  of  God's 
forbearance.  The  Lord  delights  in  mercy;  and  for  the 
sake  of  a  few  who  really  serve  Him,  He  restrains  calamities, 
and  prolongs  the  tranquillity  of  multitudes.  Little  do  sin- 
ners against  God  realize  that  they  are  indebted  for  their 
own  lives  to  the  faithful  few  whom  they  delight  to  ridi- 
cule and  oppress. 

Though  the  rulers  of  this  world  know  it  not,  yet  often 
in  their  councils  angels  have  been  spokesmen.  Human 
eyes  have  looked  upon  them;  human  ears  have  listened  to 
their  appeals;  human  lips  have  opposed  their  suggestions 
and  ridiculed  their  counsels;  human  hands  have  met  them 
with  insult  and  abuse.  In  the  council  hall  and  the  court 
of  justice,  these  heavenly  messengers  have  shoAvn  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  human  history;  they  have  proved 
themselves  better  able  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  oppressed 
than  were  their  ablest  and  most  eloquent  defenders.  They 
have  defeated  purposes  and  arrested  evils  that  would  have 
greatly  retarded  the  work  of  God,  and  would  have  caused 
great  suffering  to  His  people.  In  the  hour  of  peril  and  dis- 
tress, "the  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them 
that  fear  Him,   and  delivereth  them."^ 

With  earnest  longing,  God's  people  await  the  tokens  of 
their  coming  King.  As  the  Avatchmen  are  accosted,  ''What 
of  the  night?"  the  answer  is  given  unfalteringly,  "  'The 
morning  cometh,  and  also  the  night. ' '  Light  is  gleaming 
upon  the  clouds  above  the  mountain  tops.  Soon  there  will 
be  a  revealing  of  His  glory.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  is 
about  to  shine  forth.  The  morning  and  the  night  are  both 
at  hand, —  the  opening  of  endless  day  to  the  righteous,  the 
settling  down  of  eternal  night  to  the  wicked." 

As  the  wrestling  ones  urge  their  petitions  before  God,  the 
veil  separating  them  from  the  unseen  seems  almost  with- 
drawn. The  heavens  glow  with  the  dawning  of  eternal  day, 
and  like  the  melody  of  angel  songs,  the  w^ords  fall  upon 
*Ps.  34:7.  *l8a.  21:11,  12. 


THE   TIME   OF  TROUBLE 

the  ear,  "Stand  fast  to  your  allegiance.  Help  is  coming." 
Christ,  the  almighty  victor,  holds  out  to  His  weary  soldiers 
a  crown  of  immortal  glory;  and  His  voice  comes  from  the 
gates  ajar:  "Lo,  I  am  with  you.  Be  not  afraid.  I  am  ac- 
quainted with  all  your  sorrows;  I  have  borne  your  griefs. 
You  are  not  warring  against  untried  enemies.  I  have 
fought  the  battle  in  your  behalf,  and  in  My  name  you  are 
more  than  conquerors." 

The  precious  Saviour  will  send  help  just  when  we  need 
it.  Tlie  way  to  heaven  is  consecrated  by  His  footprints. 
Every  thorn  that  wounds  our  feet  has  wounded  His.  Every 
cross  that  we  are  caj.led  to  bear,  He  has  borne  before  us. 
The  Lord  permits  conflicts,  to  prepare  the  soul  for  peace. 
The  time  of  trouble  is  a  fearful  ordeal  for  God's  people; 
but  it  is  the  time  for  every  true  believer  to  look  up,  and  by 
faith  he  may  see  the  bow  of  promise  encircling  him. 

"The  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and  come  with 
singing  unto  Zion;  and  everlasting  joy  shall  be  upon  their 
head:  they  shall  obtain  gladness  and  joy;  and  sorrow  and 
mourning  shall  flee  away.  I,  even  I,  am  He  that  eomfort- 
eth  you :  who  art  thou,  that  thou  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a 
man  that  shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man  which  shall  be 
made  as  grass;  and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  Maker;  .  .  . 
and  hast  feared  continually  every  day  because  of  the  fury 
of  the  oppressor,  as  if  he 'were  ready  to  destroy?  and  where 
is  the  fury  of  the  oppressor?  The  captive  exile  hasteneth 
that  he  may  be  loosed,  and  that  he  should  not  die  in  the  pit, 
nor  that  his  bread  should  fail.  But  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,  that  divided  the  sea,  whose  waves  roared:  the  Lord  of 
hosts  is  His  name.  And  I  have  put  ]\Iy  words  in  thy  mouth, 
and  I  have  covered  thee  in  the  shadow  of  ^line  hand."' 

"Therefore  hear  now  this,  thou  afflicted,  and  drunken, 
but  not  with  wine:  Thus  saith  thy  Lord  Jehovali,  and  thy 
God  that  pleadeth  the  cause  of  His  people.  Behold,  I  have 
taken  out  of  thine  hand  the  cup  of  trembling,  even  the 
dregs  of  the  cup  of  My  fury;  thou  shalt  no  more  drink  it 

>l8a.   51:11-16. 


634  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

again:  but  I  will  put  it  into  the  hand  of  them  that  afflict 
thee;  which  have  said  to  thy  soul,  Bow  down,  that  we  may 
go  over :  and  thou  hast  laid  thy  body  as  the  ground,  and 
as  the  street,  to  them  that  went  over.'" 

The  eye  of  God,  looking  down  the  ages,  was  fixed  upon 
the  crisis  which  His  people  are  to  meet,  when  earthly  powers 
shall  be  arrayed  against  them.  Like  the  captive  exile,  they 
will  be  in  fear  of  death  by  starvation  or  by  violence.  But 
the  Holy  One  who  divided  the  Red  Sea  before  Israel,  will 
manifest  His  mighty  power  and  turn  their  captivity.  "They 
shall  be  Mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when 
I  make  up  My  jeAvels;  and  I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man 
spareth  his  own  son  that  serveth  him."^  If  the  blood  of 
Christ's  faithful  witnesses  were  shed  at  this  time,  it  would 
not,  like  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  be  as  seed  sown  to  yield 
a  harvest  for  God.  Their  fidelity  would  not  be  a  testimony 
to  convince  others  of  the  truth;  for  the  obdurate  heart  has 
beaten  back  the  waves  of  mercy  until  they  return  no  more. 
If  the  righteous  were  now  left  to  fall  a  prey  to  their  ene- 
mies, it  would  be  a  triumph  for  the  prince  of  darkness. 
Says  the  psalmist,  "In  the  time  of  trouble  He  shall  hide  me 
in  His  pavilion :  in  the  secret  of  His  tabernacle  shall  He 
hide  me."*  Christ  has  spoken:  "Come,  My  people,  enter 
thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee: 
hide  thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  in- 
dignation be  overpast.  For,  behold,  the  Lord  cometh  out 
of  His  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their 
iniquity."*  Glorious  will  be  the  deliverance  of  those  who 
have  patiently  waited  for  His  coming,  and  whose  names  are 
written  in  the  book  of  life. 

»Isa.  51:21-23.  -Mai.  3:17.         » Ps.  27:5.        *  Isa.  26:20,  21. 


GOD'S    PEOPLE    DELIUERED-40 

When  the  protection  of  human  laws  shall  be  with- 
drawn from  those  who  honor  the  law  of  God,  there  will 
be,  in  different  lands,  a  simultaneous  movement  for  their 
destruction.  As  the  time  appointed  in  the  decree  draws 
near,  the  people  will  conspire  to  root  out  the  hated  sect. 
It  will  be  determined  to  strike  in  one  night  a  decisive  blow, 
which  shall  utterly  silence  the  voice  of  dissent  and  reproof. 

The  people  of  God  —  some  in  prison  cells,  some  hidden 
in  solitary  retreats  in  the  forests  and  the  mountains  —  still 
plead  for  divine  protection,  while  in  every  quarter  com- 
panies of  armed  men,  urged  on  by  hosts  of  evil  angels,  are 
preparing  for  the  work  of  death.  It  is  now,  in  the  hour  of 
utmost  extremity,  that  the  God  of  Israel  will  interpose  for 
the  deliverance  of  His  chosen.  Saith  the  Lord:  *'Ye  shall 
have  a  song,  as  in  the  night  when  a  holy  solemnity  is  kept; 
and  gladness  of  heart,  as  when  one  goeth  ...  to  come 
into  the  mountain  of  Jehovah,  to  the  Mighty  One  of  Israel. 
And  the  Lord  shall  cause  His  glorious  voice  to  be  heard,  and 
shall  show  the  lighting  down  of  Plis  arm,  with  the  indig- 
nation of  His  anger,  and  with  the  flame  of  a  devouring 
fire,  with  scattering,  and  tempest,  and  hailstones."* 

With  shouts  of  triumph,  jeering,  and  imprecation, 
throngs  of   evil   men   are   about   to   rush   upon   their   prey, 

»Isa.  30:29,  30. 

(635) 


636  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

when,  lo,  a  dense  blackness,  deeper  than  the  darkness  of 
the  night,  falls  upon  the  earth.  Then  a  rainbow,  shining 
with  the  glory  from  the  throne  of  God,  spans  the  heavens, 
and  seems  to  encircle  each  praying  company.  The  angry 
multitudes  are  suddenly  arrested.  Their  mocking  cries  die 
away.  The  objects  of  their  murderous  rage  are  forgotten. 
With  fearfid  forebodings  they  gaze  upon  the  symbol  of 
God's  covenant,  and  long  to  be  shielded  from  its  overpower- 
ing brightness. 

By  the  people  of  God  a  voice,  clear  and  melodious,  is 
heard,  saying,  "Look-  up,"  and  lifting  their  eyes  to  the 
heavens,  they  behold  the  bow  of  promise.  The  black,  angry 
clouds  that  covered  the  firmament  are  parted,  and  like 
Stephen  they  look  up  steadfastly  into  heaven,  and  see  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  Son  of  man  seated  upon  His  throne. 
In  His  divine  form  they  discern  the  marks  of  His  humilia- 
tion; and  from  His  lips  they  hear  the  request,  presented 
before  His  Father  and  the  holy  angels,  "I  will  that  they 
also,  whom  Thou  hast  given  ]\Ie,  be  vN-ith  Me  Avhere  I  am."* 
Again  a  voice,  musical  and  triumphant,  is  heard,  saying: 
"They  come!  they  come!  holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled. 
They  have  kept  the  word  of  INIy  patience;  they  shall  "walk 
among  the  angels;"  and  the  pale,  quivering  lips  of  those 
who  have  held  fast  their  faith,  utter  a  shout  of  victory. 

It  is  at  midnight  that  God  manifests  His  power  for  the 
deliverance  of  His  people.  The  sun  appears,  shining  in  its 
strength.  Signs  and  wonders  follow  in  quick  succession. 
The  wicked  look  with  terror  and  amazement  upon  the  scene, 
while  the  righteous  behold  vrith  solemn  joy  the  tokens  of 
their  deliverance.  Everything  in  nature  seems  turned  out 
o:^  its  course.  The  streams  cease  to  flow.  Dark,  heavy 
clouds  come  up,  and  clash  against  each  other.  In  the  midst 
of  the  angry  heavens  is  one  clear  space  of  indescribable 
glory,  whence  comes  the  voice  of  God  like  the  sound  of 
many  waters,  sajnng,  "It  is  done. ' '  * 

Vohn  17:24.  'Rev.  16:17. 


aOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  637 

That  voice  shakes  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  There  is 
a  mighty  earthquake,  "such  as  was  not  since  men  were 
upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great.'" 
The  firmament  appears  to  open  and  shut.  The  glory  from 
the  throne  of  God  seems  flashing  through.  The  moun- 
tains shake  like  a  reed  in  the  wind,  and  ragged  rocks  are 
scattered  on  every  side.  There  is  a  roar  as  of  a  coming 
tempest.  The  sea  is  lashed  into  fury.  There  is  heard  the 
shriek  of  the  hurricane,  like  the  voice  of  demons  upon  a 
mission  of  destruction.  The  whole  earth  heaves  and  swells 
like  the  waves  of  the  sea.  Its  surface  is  breaking  up.  Its 
very  foundations  seem  to  be  giving  way.  ]\Iountain  chains 
are  sinking.  Inhabited  islands  disappear.  The  seaports 
that  have  become  like  Sodom  for  wickedness,  are  swallowed 
up  by  the  angry  waters.  Babylon  the  Great  has  come 
in  remembrance  before  God,  "to  give  unto  her  the  cup. 
of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  His  wrath.'"  Great  hail- 
stones, every  one  "about  the  weight  of  a  talent,"  are  doing 
their  work  of  destruction.  The  proudest  cities  of  the 
6arth  are  laid  low.  TJie  lordly  palaces,  upon  which  the 
world's  great  men  have  lavished  their  wealth  in  order  to 
glorify  themselves,  are  crumbling  to  ruin  before  their  eyes. 
Prison  walls  are  rent  asunder,  and  God's  people,  who  have 
been  held  in  bondage  for  their  faith,  are  set  free. 

Graves  are  opened,  and  "many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the 
dust  of  the  earth  .  .  .  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 
some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  ^  All  Avho  have 
died  in  the  faith  of  the  tmra  angel's  message  come  forth 
from  the  tomb'  glorified,  to  hear  God^s  covenant  ot'  pelii^e 
with  those  who  have  kept  His  law.  "They  also  which 
pierced  Him,"'  those  that  mocked  and  derided  Christ's 
dying  agonies,  and  the  most  violent  opposers  of  His  truth 
and  His  people,  are  raised  to  behold  Him  in  His  glory,  and 
to  see  the  honor  placed  upon  the  loyal  and  obedient. 

Thick  clouds  still  cover  the  sky ;  yet  the  sun  now  and 
then   breaks   through,   appearing   like   the   avenging   eye   of 

*Rev.  16:17,18.  =Rev.  16:19,21. 

•Dan.  12:2.  'Eev.  1:7. 


63g  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Jehovah.  Fierce  lightnings  leap  from  the  heavens,  envel- 
oping the  earth  in  a  sheet  of  flame.  Above  the  terrific  roar 
of  thunder,  voices,  mysterious  and  awful,  declare  the  doom 
of  the  wicked.  The  w^ords  spoken  are  not  comprehended 
by  all;  but  they  are  distinctly  understood  by  the  false 
teachers.  Those  who  a  little  before  were  so  reckless,  so 
boastful  and  defiant,  so  exultant  in  their  cruelty  to  God's 
commandment-keeping  people,  are  now  overwhelmed  with 
consternation,  and  shuddering  in  fear.  Their  wails  are 
heard  above  the  sound  of  the  elements.  Demons  acknowl- 
edge the  deity  of  Christ,  and  tremble  before  His  power, 
while  men  are  supplicating  for  mercy,  and  groveling  in 
abject  terror. 

Said  the  prophets  of  old,  as  they  beheld  in  holy  vision 
the  day  of  God:  "Howl  ye;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand ;  it  shall  come  as  a  destruction  from  the  Almighty. ' ' ' 
"Enter  into  tlie  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  dust,  for  fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  for  the  glory  of  His  majesty.  The  lofty 
looks  of  man  shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughtiness  of  men 
shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted 
in  that  day.  For  the  day  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  be  upon 
every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon  every  one  that 
is  lifted  up;  and  he  shall  be  brought  low."  "In  that  day 
a  man  shall  cast  the  idols  of  his  silver,  and  the  idols  of  his 
goldj  which  they  made  each  one  for  himself  to  worship,  to 
the  moles  and  to  the  bats;  to  go  into  the  clefts  of  .the. rocks, 
and  into  the  tops  of  the  ragged  rocks,  for  fear  of  the  Lord, 
and  for  the  glory  of  His  majesty,  when  He  ariseth  to  shake 
terribly  the  earth.'''^'  — '"^■""'''^''  "Ti'^'i'  i;  "• 

Through  a  rift  in  the  clouds,  there  beams  a  star  whose 
brilliancy  is  increased  fourfold  in  contrast  with  the  dark- 
ness. It  speaks  hope  and  joy  to  the  faithful,  but  severity 
and  wrath  to  the  transgressors  of  God's  law.  Those  who 
have  sacrificed  all  for  Christ  are  now  secure,  hidden  as  in 
the  secret  of  the  Lord's  pavilion.  They  have  been  tested, 
and  before  the  world  and  the  despisers  of  truth  they  have 
»Isa.  13:6.  ==  Isa.   2:10-12,  20,  21    (margin);' 


GOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  639 

evinced  their  fidelity  to  Him  who  died  for  them.  A  mar- 
velous eliange  has  come  over  those  who  have  held  fast  their 
integrity  in  the  very  face  of  death.  They  have  been  sud- 
denly delivered  from  the  dark  and  terrible  tyranny  of  men 
transformed  to  demons.  Their  faces,  so  lately  pale,  anxious, 
and  haggard,  are  now  aglow  with  wonder,  faith,  and  love. 
Their  voices  rise  in  triumphant  song:  "God  is  our  refuge 
and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  Therefore  will 
not  w^e  fear,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though  the 
mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea;  thougli  the 
waters  thereof  roar  and  be  troubled,  though  the  mountains 
shake  with  the  swelling  thereof. ' ' ' 

While  these  words  of  holy  trust  ascend  to  God,  the  clouds 
sweep  back,  and  the  starry  heavens  are  seen,  unspeakably 
glorious  in  contrast  with  the  black  and  angry  firmament 
on  either  side.  The  glory  of  the  celestial  city  streams  from 
the  gates  ajar.  Then  there  appears  against  the  sky  a  hand 
holding  two  tables  of  stone  folded  together.  Says  the 
prophet,  "Tlie  heavens  sliall  declare  His  righteousness:  for 
God  is  judge  Himself.""  That  holy  law,  God's  righteous- 
ness, that  amid  thunder  and  flame  was  proclaimed  from 
Sinai  as  the  guide  of  life,  is  now  revealed  to  men  as  the 
rule  of  judgment.  The  hand  opens  the  tables,  and  there 
are  seen  the  precepts  of  the  decalogue,  traced  as  with  a  pen 
of  fire.  The  words  are  so  plain  that  all  can  read  them. 
Memory  is  aroused,  the  darkness  of  superstition  and  heresy 
is  swept  from  every  mind,  and  God's  ten  words,  brief,  com- 
prehensive, and  authoritative,  are  presented  to  the  view  of 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth^'l^  noffii  if  (J 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  horror  and  despair  of 
those  who  have  trampled  upon  God's  holy  re(iuirements. 
The  Lord  gave  them  His  law ;  they  might  have  compared 
their  characters  with  it,  and  learned  their  defects  while 
there  was  yet  opportunity  for  repentance  and  reform ;  but 
in  order  to  secure  the  favor  of  the  world,  they  set  aside 
its  precepts  and  taught  others  to  transgress.  They  havf 
^Ps,  46:1-3.  »Ps.  50:6. 


640  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

endeavored  to  compel  God's  people  to  profane  His  Sabbath. 
Now  they  are  condemned  by  that  law  which  they  have  de- 
spised. With  awful  distinctness  they  see  that  they  are 
without  excuse.  They  chose  whom  they  would  serve  and 
worship.  "Then  shall  ye  return,  and  discern  between  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  between  him  that  serveth  God 
and  him  that  serveth   Him   not. ' '  ^ 

The  enemies  of  God's  law,  from  the  ministers  down  to 
the  least  among  them,  have  a  new  conception  of  truth  and 
duty.  Too  late  they  see  that  the  Sabbath  of  the  fourth 
commandment  is  the  seal  of  the  living  God.  Too  late  they 
see  the  true  nature  of  their  spurious  sabbath,  and  the  sandy 
foundation  upon  which  they  have  been  building.  They  find 
that  they  have  been  fighting  against  God.  Religious  teach- 
ers have  led  souls  to  perdition  while  professing  to  guide 
them  to  the  gates  of  Paradise.  Not  until  the  day  of  final 
accounts  will  it  be  kno\\'n  how  great  is  the  responsibility  of 
men  in  holy  office,  and  how  terrible  are  the  results  of  their 
unfaithfulness.  Only  in  eternity  can  we  rightly  estimate 
the  loss  of  a  single  soul.  Fearful  will  be  the  doom  of  him 
to  whom  God  shall  say.  Depart,  thou  wicked  servant. 

The  voice  of  God  is  heard  from  heaven,  declaring  tiie 
day  and  hour  of  Jesus'  coming,  and  delivering  the  everr 
lasting  covenant  to  His  people.  Like  peals  of  loudest  thun- 
der. His  words  roll  through  the  earth.  The  Israel  of  God 
stand  listening,  with  their  eyes  fixed  upward.  Their  coun- 
tenances are  lighted  up  ^\'ith  His  glory,  and  shine  as  did 
the  face  of  Moses  when  he  came  down  from  Sinai.  The 
wicked  cannot  look  upon  them.  And  when  the  blessing  is 
pronounced  on  those  who  have  honored  God  by  keeping 
His  Sabbath  holy,  there  is  a  mighty  shout  of  victory. 

Soon  there  appears  in  the  east  a  small  black  cloud,  about 
half  the  size  of  a  man's  hand.  It  is  the  cloud  which  sur- 
rounds the  Saviour,  and  which  seems  in  the  distance  to  be 
shrouded  in  darkness.  The  people  of  God  know  this  to  be 
the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man.  In  solemn  silence  they  gaze 
upon  it  as  it  draws  nearer  the  earth,  becoming  lighter  and 

^Mal.  3:18, 


GOB'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  641 

more  glorious,  until  it  is  a  great  white  cloud,  its  base  a  glory 
like  consuming  fire,  and  above  it  the  rainbow  of  the  cove- 
nant. Jesus  rides  forth  as  a  mighty  conqueror.  Not  now 
a  "man  of  sorrows,"  to  drink  the  bitter  cup  of  shame  and 
woe,  He  comes,  victor  in  heaven  and  earth,  to  judge  the 
living  and  the  dead.  "Faithful  and  true,"  "in  righteous- 
ness He  doth  judge  and  make  war."  And  "the  armies 
which  were  in  heaven  follow  Him. ' '  ^  With  anthems  of 
celestial  melody  the  holy  angels,  a  vast,  unnumbered  throng, 
attend  Him  on  His  way.  The  firmament  seems  filled  with 
radiant  forms, — ' '  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and 
thousands  of  thousands."  No  human  pen  can  portray  the 
scene;  no  mortal  mind  is  adequate  to  conceive  its  splendor. 
"His  glory  covered  the  heavens,  and  the  earth  was  full  of 
His  praise.  And  His  brightness  was  as  the  light. "°  As  the 
living  cloud  comes  still  nearer,  every  eye  beholds  the  Prince 
of  life.  No  crown  of  thorns  now  mars  that  sacred  head, 
but  a  diadem  of  glory  rests  on  His  holy  brow.  His  coun- 
tenance outshines  the  dazzling  brightness  of  the  noonday 
sun.  "And  He  hath  on  His  vesture  and  on  His  thigh  a 
name  written,  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords. ' ' ' 

Before  His  presence,  "all  faces  are  turned  into  pale- 
ness;" upon  the  rejecters  of  God's  mercy  falls  the  terror 
of  eternal  despair.  "The  heart  melteth,  and  the  knees  smite 
together,"  "and  the  faces  of  them  all  gather  blackness."* 
The  righteous  cry  with  trembling,  "Who  shall  be  able  to 
stand?"  The  angels'  song  is  hushed,  and  there  is  a  period 
of  awful  silence.  Then  the  voice  of  Jesus  is  heard,  saying, 
"My  grace  is  sufficient  for  you."  The  faces  of  the  right- 
eous are  lighted  up,  and  joy  fills  every  heart.  And  the 
angels  strike  a  note  higher,  and  sing  again,  as  they  draw 
still  nearer  to  the  earth. 

The  King  of  kings  descends  upon  the  cloud,  wrapped  in 
flaming  fire.  The  heavens  are  rolled  together  as  a  scroll, 
the   earth   trembles   before   Him,   and   every   mountain   and 

'Kev.  19:11,  14.  =>  Hab.  Z:^.  4.  » Rev.  19:16. 

*Jer.  30:6;  Kahum  2:10. 

ai— G.  c. 


642  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

island  is  moved  out  of  its  place.  "Our  God  shall  come,  and 
shall  not  keep  silence:  a  fire  shall  devour  before  Him,  and 
it  shall  be  very  tempestuous  round  about  Him.  He  shall 
call  to  the  heavens  from  above,  and  to  the  earth,  that  He 
may  judge  His  people.'" 

"And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the 
rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and 
every  bondman,  and  every  freeman,  hid  themselves  in  the 
dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains;  and  said  to  the 
mountains  and  rocks.  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face 
of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wratli  of 
the  Lamb :  for  the  great  day  of  His  wrath  is  come ;  and  who 
shall  be  able  to  stand  V' 

■,,,  [The  derisive  jests  have  ceased.  Lying  lips  are  hushed 
into  silence.  The  clash  of  arms,  the  tumult  of  battle,  "with 
confused  noise,  and  garments  rolled  in  blood, "Ms  stilled. 
Naught  now  is  heard  but  the  voice  of  prayer  and  the  sound 
of  weeping  and  lamentation.  The  cry  bursts  forth  from 
lips  so  lately  scoffing,  "The  great  day  of  His  wrath  is  come; 
and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?"  The  wicked  pray  to  be 
buried  beneath  the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  rather  than  meet 
the  face  of  Him  whom  they  have  despised  and  rejected. 

That  voice  which  penetrates  the  ear  of  the  dead,  they 
know.  How  often  have  its  plaintive,  tender  tones  called 
them  to  repentance.  How  often  has  it  been  heard  in  the 
touching  entreaties  of  a  friend,  a  brother,  a  Redeemer.  To 
the  rejecters  of  His  grace,  no  other  could  be  so  full  of  con- 
demnation, so  burdened  with  denunciation,  as  that  voice 
which  has  so  long  pleaded,  "Turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your 
evil  ways;  for  why  will  ye  die?"*  0  that  it  were  to  them 
the  voice  of  a  stranger !  Says  Jesus :  "  I  have  called,  and  ye 
refused;  I  have  stretched  out  My  hand,  and  no  man  re- 
garded; but  ye  have  set  at  naught  all  My  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  My  reproof.""  That  voice  awakens  mem- 
ories which  they  would  fain  blot  out, —  warnings  despised, 
invitations   refused,   privileges   slighted. 

^Ps.  50:3,  4.  =Rev.  6:15-17.  » Isa.  9:5.  *  Eze.  33:11. 

"Prov.  1:24,  25. 

X>  .0— 1« 


aOD\S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  643 

There  are  those  who  mocked  Christ  in  His  humiliation. 
With  thrilling  poM^er  come  to  their  minds  the  Sufferer's 
words,  when,  adjured  by  the  high  priest,  He  solemnly  de- 
clared, "Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting 
on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven.'"  Now  they  behold  Him  in  His  glory,  and  thoy 
are  yet  to  see  Him  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power. 

Those  who  derided  His  claim  to  be  the  Son  of  God  are 
speechless  now.  There  is  the  haughty  Herod  who  jeered 
at  His  royal  title,  and  bade  the  mocking  soldiers  crown  Him 
king.  There  are  the  very  men  who  with  impious  hands 
placed  upon  His  form  the  purple  robe,  upon  His  sacred  brow 
the  thorny  crown,  and  in  His  unresisting  hand  the  mimic 
scepter,  and  bowed  before  Him  in  blasphemous  mockery. 
The  men  who  smote  and  spit  upon  the  Prince  of  life,  now 
turn  from  His  piercing  gaze,  and  seek  to  fiee  from  the  over- 
powering glory  of  His  presence.  Those  who  drove  the  nails 
through  His  hands  and  feet,  the  soldier  who  pierced  His 
side,  behold  these  marks  with  terror  and  remorse. 

With  awful  distinctness  do  priests  and  rulers  recall  the 
events  of  Calvary.  With  shuddering  horror  they  remember 
how,'  wagging  their  heads  in  satanic  exultation,  they  ex- 
claimed: "He  saved  others;  Himself  He  cannot  save.  If 
He  be  the  King  of  Israel,  let  Him  now  come  down  from 
the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  Him.  He  trusted  in  God;  let 
Him  deliver  Him  now,  if  He  will  have  Him."' 

Vividly  they  recall  the  Saviour's  parable  of  the  hus- 
bandmen who  refused  to  render  to  their  lord  the  fruit  of 
the  vineyard,  who  abused  his  servants  and  slew  his  son. 
They  remember,  too,  the  sentence  which  they  themselves  pro- 
nounced: The  lord  of  the  vineyard  "^^^ll  miserably  destroy 
those  wicked  men."  In  the  sin  and  punishment  of  those 
unfaithful  men,  the  priests  and  elders  see  their  own  course 
and  their  o\\ti  just  doom.  And  now  there  rises  a  cry  of 
mortal  agony.  Louder  tlian  the  shout,  "Crucify  Him!  cru- 
cify Him ! ' '  which  rang  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem, 
'Matt.  26:64.  »Matt.  27:42,43. 


644  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

swells  the  awful,  despairing  wail,  "He  is  the  Son  of  God! 
He  is  the  true  Messiah ! ' '  They  seek  to  flee  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  King  of  kings.  In  the  deep  caverns  of  the  earth, 
rent  asunder  by  the  warring  of  the  elements,  they  vainly 
attempt  to  hide. 

In  the  lives  of  all  who  reject  truth,  there  are  moments 
when  conscience  awakens,  when  memory  presents  the  tor- 
turing recollection  of  a  life  of  hypocrisy,  and  the  soul  is 
harassed  with  vain  regrets.  But  what  are  these  compared 
with  the  remorse  of  that  day  when  "fear  cometh  as  desola- 
tion," when  "destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind"!*  Those 
who  Avould  have  destroyed  Christ  and  His  faithful  people, 
now  witness  the  glory  which  rests  upon  them.  In  the 
midst  of  their  terror  they  hear  the  voices  of  the  saints  in 
joyful  strains  exclaiming,  "Lo,  this  is  our  God;  we  have 
waited  for  Him,  and  He  will  save  us. "  ^ 
'  Amid  the  reeling  of  the  earth,  the  flash  of  lightning,  and 
the  roar  of  thunder,  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  calls  forth 
the  sleeping  saints.  He  looks  upon  the  graves  of  the  right- 
eous, then  raising  His  hands  to  heaven  He  cries,  "A^vake, 
awake,  awake,  ye  that  sleep  in  the  dust,  and  arise!  ' 
Throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  earth,  the  dead 
shall  hear  that  voice;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live.  And  the 
whole  earth  shall  ring  with  the  tread  of  the  exceeding  great 
army  of  every  nation,  kindred,  tongue,  and  people.  From 
the  prison-house  of  death  they  come,  clothed  with  immortal 
glory,  crying,  ' '  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory?"*  And  the  living  righteous  and  the  risen 
saints  unite  their  voices  in  a  long,  glad  shout  of  victory. 

All  come  forth  from  their  graves  the  same  in  stature  as 
when  they  entered  the  tomb.  Adam,  who  stands  among 
the  risen  throng,  is  of  lofty  height  and  majestic  form,  in 
stature  but  little  below  the  Son  of  God.  He  presents  a 
marked  contrast  to  the  people  of  later  generations;  in  this 
one  respect  is  shown  the  great  degeneracy  of  the  race.  But 
all  arise  with  the  freshness  and  vigor  of  eternal  youth.  In 
»Prov.  1:27.  ''Isa.  25:9.  n  Cor.  15:55. 


GOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  645 

the  beginning,  man  was  created  in  the  likeness  of  God,  not 
only  in  character,  but  in  form  and  feature.  Sin  defaced  and 
almost  obliterated  the  divine  image;  but  Christ  came  to 
restore  that  which  had  been  lost.  He  will  change  our  vile 
bodies,  and  fashion  them  like  unto  His  glorious  body.  The 
mortal,  corruptible  form,  devoid  of  comeliness,  once  polluted 
with  sin,  becomes  perfect,  beautiful,  and  immortal.  All 
blemislies  and  deformities  are  left  in  the  grave.  Restored 
to  the  tree  of  life  in  the  long-lost  Eden,  the  redeemed  will 
"grow  up"*  to  the  full  stature  of  the  race  in  its  primeval 
glory.  The  last  lingering  traces  of  the  curse  of  sin  will  be 
removed,  and  Christ's  faithful  ones  will  appear  "in  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God,"  in  mind  and  soul  and  body 
reflecting  the  perfect  image  of  their  Lord.  Oh,  wonderful 
redemption!  long  talked  of,  long  hoped  for,  contemplated 
with  eager  anticipation,  but  never  fully  understood. 

The  living  righteous  are  changed  "in  a  moment,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye."  At  the  voice  of  God  they  were  glo- 
rified; now  they  are  made  immortal,  and  with  the  risen 
saints  are  caught  up  to  meet  their  Lord  in  the  air.  Angels 
"gather  together  the  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one 
end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  Little  children  are  borne  by 
holy  angels  to  their  mothers'  arm§.  Friends  long  separated 
by  death  are  united,  nevermore  to  part,  and  with  songs  of 
gladness  ascend  together  to  the  city  of  God. 

On  each  side  of  the  cloudy  chariot  are  wings,  and  beneath 
it  are  living  wheels;  and  as  the  chariot  rolls  upward,  the 
wheels  cry,  "Holy,"  and  the  wings,  as  they  move,  cry, 
"Holy,"  and  the  retinu§  of  angels  cry,  "Holy,  holy,  holy, 
Lord  God  Almighty."  And  the  redeemed  shout  " Alleluia !'j 
as  the  chariot  moves  onward  toward  the  New  Jerusalem. 

Before  entering  the  city  of  God,  the  Saviour  bestows 
upon  His  followers  the  emblems  of  victory,  and  invests 
them  with  the  insignia  of  their  royal  state.  The  glittering 
ranks  are  drawn  up,  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  about 
their  King,  whose  form  rises  in  majesty  high  above  saint 

*Mal.  4:2. 


646  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

and  angel,  whose  countenance  beams  upon  them  full  of  be- 
nignant love.  Throughout  the  unnumbered  host  of  the  re- 
deemed, every  glance  is  fixed  upon  Him,  every  eye  beholds 
His  glory  whose  "visage  was  so  marred  more  than  any  man, 
and  His  form  more  than  the  sons  of  men,"  Upon  the 
heads  of  the  overcomers,  Jesus  with  His  own  right  hand 
places  the  crown  of  glory.  For  each  there  is  a  crown,  bear- 
ing his  own  "new  name,"*  and  the  inscription,  "Ploliness 
to  the  Lord."  In  every  hand  are  placed  the  victor's  palm 
and  the  shining  harp.  Then,  as  the  commanding  angels 
strike  the  note,  every  hand  sweeps  the  harp  strings  with 
skilful  touch,  awaking  sweet  music  in  rich,  melodious 
strains.  Kapture  unutterable  thrills  every  heart,  and  each 
voice  is  raised  in  grateful  praise:  "Unto  Him  that  loved 
us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  His  Father;  to 
Him  be  glory  and  dominion  forever  and  ever."* 

Before  the  ransomed  throng  is  the  holy  city.  Jesus 
opens  wide  the  pearly  gates,  and  the  nations  that  have  kept 
the  truth  enter  in.  There  they  behold  the  Paradise  of 
God,  the  home  of  Adam  in  his  innocency.  Then  that  voice, 
richer  than  any  music  that  ever  fell  on  mortal  ear,  is 
heard,  saying,  "Your  conflict  is  ended."  "Come,  ye  blessed 
of  My  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world." 

Now  is  fidfilled  tlie  Saviour's  prayer  for  His  disciples, 
"I  will  that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me  be  with 
Me  where  I  am."  "Faultless  before  the  presence  of  His 
glory  with  exceeding  joy,"""  Christ  presents- to  the  Father 
the  purcliase  of  His  blood,  declaring,  "Here  am  I,  and  the 
children  whom  Thou  hast  given  Me."  "Those  that  Thou 
gavest^Ie  I  have  kept."  Oh,  the  wonders  of  redeeming 
love!  the  rapture  of  that  hour  when  the  infinite  Father, 
looking  upon  the  ransomed,  shall  behold  His  image,  sin's 
discord  banished,  its  blight  removed,  and  the  human  once 
more  in  harmony  with  the  divine! 

*  Rev.  2 :  17.  '  Rev.  1 :5,  6.  '  Jude  24. 


GOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  647 

"With  unutterable  love,  Jesus  welcomes  His  faithful  ones 
to  the  "joy  of  their  Lord."  The  Saviour's  joy  is  in  seeing, 
in  the  kingdom  of  glory,  the  souls  that  have  been  saved  by 
His  agony  and  humiliation.  And  the  redeemed  will  be 
sharers  in  His  joy,  as  they  behold,  among  the  blessed,  those 
who  have  been  won  to  Christ  through  their  prayers,  their 
labors,  and  their  loving  sacrifice.  As  they  gather  about 
the  great  white  tlirone,  gladness  unspeakable  will  fill  their 
hearts,  when  they  behold  those  whom  they  have  won  for 
Christ,  and  see  that  one  has  gained  others,  and  these  still 
others,  all  brought  into  the  haven  of  rest,  there  to  lay 
their  crowns  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  praise  Him  through  the 
endless  cycles  of  eternity. 

As  the  ransomed  ones  are  welcomed  to  the  city  of  God, 
there  rings  out  upon  the  air  an  exultant  cry  of  adoration. 
The  two  Adams  are  about  to  meet.  The  Son  of  God  is 
standing  with  outstretched  arms  to  receive  the  father  of  our 
race, —  the  being  whom  He  created,  who  sinned  against  his 
Maker,  and  for  whose  sin  the  marks  of  the  crucifixion  are 
borne  upon  the  Saviour's  form.  As  Adam  discerns  the 
prints  of  the  cruel  nails,  he  does  not  fall  upon  the  bosom 
of  his  Lord,  but  in  humiliation  casts  himself  at  His  feet, 
crying,  ''Worthy,  worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain!" 
Tenderly  the  Saviour  lifts  him  up,  and  bids  him  look  once 
more  upon  the  Eden  home  from  which  he  has  so  long  been 
exiled. 

After  his  expulsion  from  Eden,  Adam's  life  on  earth  was 
filled  with  sorrow.  p]very  dying  leaf,  every  victim  of  sac- 
rifice, every  blight  upon  the  fair  face  of  nature,  every  stain 
upon  man's  purity,  was  a  fresh  reminder  of  his  sin.  Ter- 
rible was  the  agony  of  remorse  as  he  beheld  iniquity  abound- 
ing, and,  in  answer  to  his  warnings,  met  the  reproaclios  cast 
upon  himself  as  the  cause  of  sin.  With  patient  huiftjiity 
he  bore,  for  nearly  a  thousand  years,  the  penalty  of  trans- 
gression. Faithfully  did  he  repent  of  his  sin,  and  trust  in 
the  merits  of  the  promised  Saviour,  and  he  died  in  the  hope 


648  TEE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

of  a  resurrection.  The  Son  of  God  redeemed  man's  failure 
and  fall;  and  now,  through  the  work  of  the  atonement, 
Adam  is  re-instated  in  his  first  dominion. 

Transported  with  joy,  he  beholds  the  trees  that  were 
once  his  delight, —  the  very  trees  whose  fruit  he  himself  had 
gathered  in  the  days  of  his  innocence  and  joy.  He  sees 
the  vines  that  his  own  hands  have  trained,  the  very  flowers 
that  he  once  loved  to  care  for.  His  mind  grasps  the  reality 
of  the  scene;  he  comprehends  that  this  is  indeed  Eden  re- 
stored, more  lovely  now  than  when  he  was  ])anished  from  it. 
The  Saviour  leads  him  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  plucks  the 
glorious  fruit,  and  bids  him  eat.  He  looks  about  him,  and 
beholds  a  multitude  of  his  family  redeemed,  standing  in  the 
Paradise  of  God.  Then  he  casts  his  glittering  crown  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  falling  upon  His  breast,  embraces  the 
Redeemer.  He  touches  the  golden  harp,  and  the  vaults  of 
heaven  echo  the  triumphant  song,  "Worthy,  worthy,  worthy 
is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  and  lives  again!"  The  family 
of  Adam  take  up  the  strain,  and  cast  their  crowns  at  the 
Saviour's  feet  as  they  bow  before   Him  in  adoration. 

This  reunion  is  witnessed  by  the  angels  who  wept  at  the 
fall  of  Adam,  and  rejoiced  when  Jesus,  after  His  resurrec- 
tion, ascended  to  heaven,  having  opened  the  grave  for  all 
who  should  believe  on  His  name.  Now  they  behold  the 
work  of  redemption  accomplished,  and  they  unite  their 
voices  in  the  song  of  praise. 

Upon  the  crystal  sea  before  the  throne,  that  sea  of  glass 
as  it  were  mingled  with  fire, —  so  resplendent  is  it  with  the 
glory  of  God, —  are  gathered  the  company  that  have  "got- 
ten the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his  image,  and 
over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name. ' ' '  With 
the  Lamb  upon  ]\Iount  Zion,  "having  the  harps  of  God," 
they  stand,  the  hundred  and  forty^  and  four  thousand  that 
wprA  rf>fl<^yi^^^fi  from  ainoug  men ;  and  there  is  heard,  as 
the  sound  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  sound  of  a  great  thun- 

»Kev.  15:2. 


GOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  649 

der,  ' '  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps. ' ' ' 
And  they  sing  "a  new  song"  before  the  throne,  a  song 
which  (n^jnarf  can  learn  save  the  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  thousand.  It  is  the  song  of  ]\toses  and  the  Lamb, —  a 
song  of  deliverance.  N^jjig  but  the  hundred  and  forty-four 
thousand  can  learn  that  songj  for  it  is  the  song  of  their 
experience, —  an  experience  such  as  no  other  company  have 
ever  had.  "These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever He  goeth.'"  These,  having  been  translated  from  the 
earth,  frpm^_^tP^-^  ^-^^  living,  are  counted  as-/' the.  first- 
fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb. " '  "  These  are  they  which 
came  out  of  great  tribulation;"'  they  have  passed  through 
the  time  of  trouble  such  as  never  was  since  there  Avas  a 
nation;  they  have  endiired  the  anguish  of  the  time  of 
Jacob's  trouble;  they  have  stood  without  an  intercessor 
through  the  final  outpouring  of  God's  judgments.  But 
they  have  been  delivered,  for  they  have  "washed  their 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 
*'In  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile:  for  they  are  without 
fault"  before  God.  "Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne 
of  God,  and  serve  Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple :  and 
He  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them. ' ' ' 
They  have  seen  the  earth  wasted  with  famine  and  pestilence, 
the  sun  having  power  to  scorch  men  with  great  heat,  and 
they  themselves  have  endured  suffering,  hunger,  and  thirst. 
But  "they  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 
neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  P^or  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them, 
and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters:  and 
God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. ' ' ' 

Tn  all  ages  the  Saviour's  chosen  have  been  educated  and 
disciplined  in  the  school  of  trial.  They  walked  in  narrow 
paths  on  earth;  they  were  p\irified  in  the  furnace  of  afflic- 
tion. For  Jesus'  sake  they  endured  opposition,  hatred,  cal- 
umny. They  followed  Him  through  conflicts  sore;  they 
endured  self-denial  and  experienced  bitter  disappointments. 
'Rev.   14:1-5;    15:3.  ="  Rev.  7:14-17. 


I 


650  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

By  their  own  painful  experience  they  learned  the  evil  of 
sin,  its  power,  its  guilt,  its  woe;  and  they  look  upon  it  with 
abhorrence.  A  sense  of  the  infinite  sacrifices  made  for  its 
cure,  humbles  them  in  their  own  sight,  and  fills  their  hearts 
with  gratitude  and  praise  which  those  who  have  never 
fallen  cannot  appreciate.  They  love  much,  because  they 
have  been  forgiven  much.  Having  been  partakers  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  they  are  fitted  to  be  partakers  with 
Him  of  His  glory.  _. 

The  heirs  of  God  have  come  from  garrets,  from  hovels^ 
from  dungeons,  from  scaffolds,  from  mountains,  from  des- 
erts, from  the  caves  of  the  earth,  from  the  caverns  of  the 
sea.  On  earth  they  were  '"destitute,  afflicted,  tormented." 
Millions  went  downa  to  the  grave  loaded  with  infamy,  be- 
cause they  steadfastly  refused  to  yield  to  the  deceptive 
claims  of  Satan.  By  human  tribunals  they  were  adjudged 
the  vilest  of  criminals.  But  now  "God  is  judge  Himself."* 
Now  the  decisions  of  earth  are  reversed.  "The  rebuke  of 
His  people  shall  He  take  away.  "^  "  They  shall  call  them. 
The  holy  people,  The  redeemed  of  the  Lord."  He  hath 
appointed  "to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of 
joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness."'  They  are  no  longer  feeble,  afflicted,  scattered, 
and  oppressed.  Henceforth  they  are  to  be  ever  with  the 
Lord.  They  stand  before  the  throne  clad  in  richer  robes 
than  the  most  honored  of  the  earth  have  ever  worn.  They 
are  crowned  with  diadems  more  glorious  than  were  ever 
placed  upon  the  brow  of  earthly  monarchs.  The  days  of 
pain  and  weeping  are  forever  ended.  The  King  of  glory 
has  wiped  the  tears  from  all  faces;  every  cause  of  grief  has 
been  removed.  Amid  the  waving  of  palm-branches  they 
pour  forth  a  song  of  praise,  clear,  sweet,  and  harmonious; 
every  voice  takes  up  the  strain,  until  the  anthem  swells 
through  the  vaults  of  heaven,  "Salvation  to  our  God  which 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb."  And  all  the 
inhabitants  of  heaven  respond  in  the  ascription,  "Amen: 
^Ps.  50:6.  =Isa.  25:8.  "  Isa.  62:12;  61:3. 


GOD'S  PEOPLE  DELIVERED  651 

Blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and 
honor,  and  power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  God  forever  and 
ever. ' ' ' 

In  this  life  we  can  only  begin  to  understand  the  won- 
derful theme  of  redemption.  With  our  finite  comprehension 
we  may  consider  most  earnestly  the  shame  and  the  glory, 
the  life  and  the  death,  the  justice  and  the  mercy,  that  meet 
in  the  cross;  yet  with  the  utmost  stretch  of  our  mental 
powers  we  fail  to  grasp  its  full  significance.  The  length 
and  the  breadth,  the  depth  and  the  height,  of  redeeming 
love  are  but  dimly  comprehended.  The  plan  of  redemp- 
tion will  not  be  fully  understood,  even  when  the  ransomed 
see  as  they  are  seen  and  know  as  they  are  known ;  but 
through  the  eternal  ages,  new  truth  will  continually  unfold 
to  the  wondering  and  delighted  mind.  Though  the  griefs 
and  pains  and  temptations  of  earth  are  ended,  and  the 
cause  removed,  the  people  of  God  will  ever  have  a  distinct, 
intelligent  knowledge  of  what  their  salvation  has  cost. 

The  cross  of  Christ  will  be  the  science  and  the  song  of 
ihe  redeemed  through  all  eternity.  In  Christ  glorified  they 
will  behold  Christ  crucified.  Never  will  it  be  forgotten  that 
He  whose  power  created  and  upheld  the  unnumbered  worlds 
through  the  vast  realms  of  space,  the  Beloved  of  God,  the 
Majesty  of  heaven.  He  whom  cherub  and  shining  seraph 
delighted  to  adore, —  humbled  Himself  to  uplift  fallen  man; 
that  He  bore  the  guilt  and  shame  of  sin,  and  the  hiding  of 
His  Father's  face,  till  the  woes  of  a  lost  world  broke  His 
heart,  and  crushed  out  His  life  on  Calvary's  cross.  That 
the  Maker  of  all  worlds,  the  Arbiter  of  all  destinies,  should 
lay  aside  His  glory,  and  humiliate  Himself  from  love  to 
man,  will  ever  excite  the  wonder  and  adoration  of  the  uni- 
verse. As  the  nations  of  the  saved  look  upon  their  Re- 
deemer, and  behold  the  eternal  glory  of  the  Father  shining 
in  His  countenance ;  as  they  behold  His  throne,  which  is 
from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  and  know  that  His  kingdom 
is  to  have  no  end,  they  break  forth  in  rapturous  song, 
»E€V.  7:10,  12. 


I 


652 


THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 


"Worthy,  worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  and  hath 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  His  own  most  precious  blood ! ' ' 

The  mystery  of  the  cross  explains  all  other  mysteries. 
In  the  light  that  streams  from  Calvary,  the  attributes  of  God 
which  had  filled  us  with  fear  and  awe  appear  beautiful  and 
attractive.  Mercy,  tenderness,  and  parental  love  are  seen  to 
blend  with  holiness,  justice,  and  power.  While  we  behold 
the  majesty  of  His  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  we  see  His 
character  in  its  gracious  manifestations,  and  comprehend, 
as  never  before,  the  significance  of  that  endearing  title, 
"Our  Father." 

It  will  be  seen  that  He  who  is  infinite  in  wisdom  could 
devise  no  plan  for  our  salvation  except  the  sacrifice  of  His 
Son.  Tlie  compensation  for  this  sacrifice  is  the  joy  of 
peopling  the  earth  with  ransomed  beings,  holy,  happy,  and 
immortal.  The  result  of  the  Saviour's  conflict  with  the 
powers  of  darkness  is  joy  to  the  redeemed,  redounding  to 
the  glory  of  God  throughout  eternity.  And  such  is  the 
value  of  the  soul  that  the  Father  is  satisfied  with  the  price 
paid;  and  Christ  Himself,  beholding  the  fruits  of  His  great 
sacrifice,  is  satisfied. 


DESOLATION   OF  THE   EARTH -41 

**Heb  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath 
remembered  her  iniquities."  "In  the  cup  which  she  hath 
filled,  fill  to  her  double.  How  much  she  hath  glorified  her- 
self, and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give 
her:  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no 
widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues 
come  in  one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine;  and 
she  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire :  for  strong  is  the 
Lord  God  who  judgeth  her.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
who  have  committed  fornication  and  lived  deliciously  with 
her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her,  .  .  .  saying,  Alas, 
alas  that  great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city!  for  in  one 
hour  is  thy  judgment  come. ' '  * 

*'The  merchants  of  the  earth,"  that  have  "waxed  rich 
through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies,"  "shall  stand  afar 
off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weeping  and  wailing,  and 
saying,  Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  that  was  clothed  in  fine 
linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold,  and 
precious  stones,  and  pearls!  For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches 
is  come  to  naught. ' '  ^ 

Such  are  the  judgments  that  fall  upon  Babylon  in  the 
day  of  the  visitation  of  God's  wrath.  She  has  filled  up 
the  measure  of  her  iniquity;  her  time  has  come;  she  is 
ripe  for  destruction. 

»Rev.  18:5-10.  «Kev.  18:3,  15-17. 

(653) 


654  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

When  the  voice  of  God  turns  the  captivity  of  His  people, 
there  is  a  terrible  awakening  of  those  who  have  lost  all  in 
the  great  conflict  of  life.  While  probation  continued  they 
were  blinded  by  Satan's  deceptions,  and  they  justified  their 
course  of  sin.  The  rich  prided  themselves  upon  their  supe- 
riority to  those  who  were  less  favored;  but  they  had  ob- 
tained their  riches  by  violation  of  the  law  of  God,  They 
had  neglected  to  feed  the  hungry,  to  clothe  the  naked,  to 
deal  justly,  and  to  love  mercy.  Tliey  had  sought  to  exalt 
themselves,  and  to  obtain  the  homage  of  their  fellow-crea- 
tures. Now  they  are  stripped  of  all  that  made  them  great, 
,and  are  left  destitute  and  defenseless.  They  look  with  ter- 
ror upon  the  destruction  of  the  idols  which  they  preferred 
before  their  Maker.  They  have  sold  their  souls  for  earthly 
riches  and  enjoyments,  and  have  not  sought  to  become  rich 
toward  God.  The  result  is,  their  lives  are  a  failure;  their 
pleasures  are  now  turned  to  gall,  their  treasures  to  corrup- 
tion. .  The  gain  of  a  lifetime  is  swept  away  in  a  moment. 
The  rich  bemoan  the  destruction  of  their  grand  houses,  the 
scattering  of  their  gold  and  silver.  But  their  lamentations 
are  silenced  by  the  fear  that  they  themselves  are  to  .perish 
with  their  idols.  w  i [»•.!?>  ,*i'>i{ 

^„..The  wicked  are  filled  with  regret,  not  because  of  their 
sinful  neglect  of  God  and  their  fellow-men,  but  because  God 
has  conquered.  They  lament  that  the  result  is  what  it  is ; 
but  they  do  not  repent  of  their  wickedness.  They  would 
leave  no  means  untried  to  conquer  if  they  could. 

The  world  see  the  very  class  whom  they  have  mocked 
and  derided,  and  desired  to  exterminate,  pass  unharmed 
througli  pestilence,  tempest,  and  earthquake.  He  who  is 
to  the  transgressors  of  His  law  a  devouring  fire,  is  to  His 
people  a  safe  pavilion.  i)'- 

The  minister  who  has  sacrificed  truth  to  gain  the  favdr 
of  men,  now  discerns  the  character  and  influence  of  his 
teachings.  It  is  apparent  that  the  omniscient  eye  was  .  fol- 
lowing him  as  he  stood  in  the  desk,  as  he  walked  the  streets, 
as  he  mingled  with  men  in  the  various  scenes  of  life.    Every 


DESOLATION  OF  THE  EARTH  655 

emotion  of  the  soul,  every  line  written,  every  word  uttered, 
every  act  that  led  men  to  rest  in  a  refuge  of  falsehood,  has 
been  scattering  seed;  and  now,  in  the  wretched,  lost  souls 
around  him,  he  beliolds  the  harvest. 

Saith  the  Lord:  "They  have  healed  the  hurt  of  the 
daughter  of  My  people  slightly,  saying.  Peace,  peace;  when 
there  is  no  peace."  "With  lies  ye  have  made  the  heart 
of  the  righteous  sad,  whom  I  have  not  made  sad ;  and 
strengthened  the  hands  of  the  wicked,  that  he  should  not 
return  from  his  wicked  way,  by  promising  him  life. ' ' ' 

"Woe  be  unto  the  pastors  that  destroy  and  scatter  the 
sheep  of  My  pasture !  .  .  .  Behold,  I  will  visit  upon  you 
the  evil  of  your  doings."  "Howl,  ye  shepherds,  and  cry; 
and  wallow  yourselves  in  the  ashes,  ye  principal  of  the  flock : 
for  your  days  for  slaughter  and  your  dispersions  are  accom- 
plished; .  .  .  and  the  shepherds  shall  have  no  way  to  flee, 
nor  the  principal  of  the  flock  to  escape. ' ' ' 

Ministeis  and  people  see  that  they  have  not  sustained  the 
right  relation  to  God.  They  see  that  they  have  rebelled 
against  the  Author  of  all  just  and  righteous  law.  The  set- 
ting aside  of  the  divine  precepts  gave  rise  to  thousands  of 
springs  of  evil,  discord,  hatred,  iniquity,  until  the  earth 
became  one  vast  field  of  strife,  one  sink  of  corruption.  This 
is  the  view  that  now  appears  to  those  who  rejected  truth 
and  chose  to  cherish  error.  No  language  can  express  the 
longing  which  the  disobedient  and  disloyal  feel  for  that 
which  they  have  lost  forever, —  eternal  life.  Men  whom  the 
world  has  worshiped  for  their  talents  and  eloquence  now 
see  these  things  in  their  true  light.  They  realize  what  they 
have  forfeited  by  transgression,  and  thoy  fall  at  the  feet  of 
those  whose  fidelity  they  have  despised  and  derided,'  and 
confess  that  God  has  loved  them.  • 

The  people  see  that  they  have  been  deluded.  They  accuse 
one  another  of  having  led  them  to  destruction;  but  all  unite 
in  heaping  their  bitterest  condemnation  upon  the  ministers. 
Unfaithful  pastors  have  prophesied  smooth  things;  they 
have  led  their  hearers  to  make  void  the  law  of  God  and  to 
» Jer.  8:11;  Eze.  13:22.  Mer.  23:1,  2;  25:34,  35  (margin). 


656  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

persecute  those  who  would  keep  it  holy.  Now,  in  their 
despair,  these  teachers  confess  before  the  world  their  work 
of  deception.  The  multitudes  are  filled  with  fury.  "We 
are  lost!"  they  cry,  "and  you  are  the  cause  of  our  ruin;" 
and  they  turn  upon  the  false  shepherds.  The  very  ones  that 
once  admired  them  most,  will  pronounce  the  most  dreadful 
curses  upon  them.  The  very  hands  that  once  crowned  them 
with  laurels,  will  be  raised  for  their  destruction.  The 
swords  which  were  to  slay  God's  people,  are  now  employed 
to  destroy  their  enemies.  Everywhere  there  is  strife  and 
bloodshed. 

"A  noise  shall  come  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth;  for 
the  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  the  nations,  He  will  plead 
with  all  flesh ;  lie  Avill  give  them  that  are  wicked  to  the 
sword. ' ' '  For  six  thousand  years  the  great  controversy  has 
been  in  progress;  the  Son  of  God  and  His  heavenly  messen- 
gers have  been  in  conflict  with  the  power  of  the  evil  one, 
to  warn,  enlighten,  and  save  the  children  of  men.  Now  all 
have  made  their  decision;  the  wicked  have  fully  united  with 
Satan  in  liis  warfare  against  God.  The  time  has  come  for 
God  to  vindicate  the  authority  of  His  downtrodden  law. 
Now  the  controversy  is  not  alone  with  Satan,  but  with  mei;i. 
"The  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  the  nations;"  "He  will 
give  them  that  are  -wicked  to  the  sword." 

The  mark  of  deliverance  has  been  set  upon  those  "that 
sigh  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done." 
Now  the  angel  of  death  goes  forth,  represented  in  Ezekiel's 
vision  by  the  men  with  the  slaughtering  weapons,  to  whom 
the  command  is  given :  ' '  Slay  utterly  old  and  young,  both 
maids,  and  little  children,  and  women :  but  come  not  near 
any  man  upon  whom  is  the  mark;  and  begin  at  My  sanctu- 
ary."* Says  the  pirophet,  "They  began  at  the  ancient  men 
which  were  before  the  house. ' ' '  The  work  of  destruction 
begins  among  those  who  have  professed  to  be  the  spiritual 
guardians  of  the  people.  The  false  watchmen  are  the  first 
to  fall.  There  are  none  to  pity  or  to  spare.  Men,  women, 
maidens,  and  little  children  perish  together. 

>Jer.  25:31.  »Eze.  9:1-6. 


DESOLATION-  OF  THE  EARTH  657 

**The  Lord  cometh  out  of  His  place  to  punish  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity :  the  earth  also  shall 
disclose  her  blood,  and  shall  no  more  cover  her  slain."' 
"And  this  shall  be  the  plague  wherewith  the  Lord  will  smite 
all  the  people  that  have  fought  against  Jerusalem:  Their 
flesh  shall  consume  away  while  they  stand  upon  their  feet, 
and  their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes,  and  their 
tongue  shall  consume  away  in  their  mouth.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  a  great  tumult  from  the  Lord 
shall  be  among  them;  and  they  shall  lay  hold  every  one 
on  the  hand  of  his  neighbor,  and  his  hand  shall  rise  up 
against  the  hand  of  his  neighbor,'"  In  the  mad  strife 
of  their  own  fierce  passions,  and  by  the  awful  outpouring  of 
God's  unmingled  wrath,  fall  the  wicked  inhabitants  of  the 
earth, —  priests,  rulers,  and  people,  rich  and  poor,  high  and 
low.  "And  the  slain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  at  that  day  from 
one  end  of  the  earth  even  unto  the  other  end  of  the  earth : 
they  shall  not  be  lamented,  neither  gathered,  nor  buried.'" 

At  the  coming  of  Christ  the  wicked  are  blotted  from  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth, —  consumed  with  the  spirit  of  His 
mouth,  and  destroyed  by  the  brightness  of  His  glory.  Christ 
takes  His  people  to  the  city  of  God,  and  the  earth  is  emptied 
of  its  inhabitants.  "Behold,  the  Lord  maketh  the  earth 
empty,  and  maketh  it  waste,  and  turneth  it  upside  down, 
and  scattereth  abroad  the  inhabitants  thereof."  "The  land 
shall  be  utterly  emptied,  and  utterly  spoiled:  for  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  this  word. "^  "Because  they  have  transgressed 
the  laws,  changed  the  ordinance,  broken  the  everlasting 
covenant.  Therefore  hath  the  curse  devoured  the  earth,  and 
they  that  dwell  therein  are  desolate:  therefore  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth  are  burned."* 

The  whole  earth  appears  like  a  desolate  wilderness.  The 
ruins  of  cities  and  villages  destroyed  by  the  earthquake, 
uprooted  trees,  ragged  rocks  thrown  out  by  the  sea  or  torn 
out  of  the  earth  itself,  are  scattered  over  its  surface,  while 
vast  caverns  mark  the  spot  where  the  mountains  have  been 
rent  from  their  foundations. 

'Isa.  26:21.  »Zech.  14:12,13. 

•Jer.  25:33.  ♦  Isa.  24:1,3,5,6. 


658  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Now  the  event  takes  place,  foreshadowed  in  the  last 
solemn  service  of  the  day  of  atonement.  When  the  min- 
istration in  the  holy  of  holies  had  been  completed,  and  the 
sins  of  Israel  had  been  removed  from  the  sanctuary  by  vir- 
tue of  the  blood  of  the  sin-offering,  then  the  scapegoat  was 
presented  alive  before  the  Lord;  and  in  presence  of  the 
congregation  the  high  priest  confessed  over  him  ' '  all  the 
iniquities  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  transgres- 
sions in  all  their  sins,  putting  them  upon  the  head  of  the 
goat. "  *  In  like  manner,  when  the  work  of  atonement  in 
the  heavenly  sanctuary  has  been  completed,  then  in  the 
presence  of  God  and  heavenly  angels,  and  the  host  of  the 
redeemed,  the  sins  of  God's  people  will  be  placed  upon 
Satan;  he  will  be  declared  guilty  of  all  the  evil  which  he 
has  caused  them  to  commit.  And  as  the  scapegoat  was  sent 
away  into  a  land  not  inhabited,  so  Satan  will  l)e  banished  to 
the  desolate   eartii,   an   uninhabited  and  dreary   wilderness. 

The  rovelator  foretells  the  banishment  of  Satan,  and  the 
condition  of  chaos  and  desolation  to  which  the  earth  is  to 
be  reduced;  and  he  declares  that  this  condition  will  exist 
for  a  thousand  years.  After  presenting  the  scenes  of  the 
Lord's  second  coming  and  the  destruction  of  the  wicked, 
the  prophecy  continues:  "I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from 
heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and  a  great 
chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old 
serpent,  which  is  the  devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a 
thousand  years,  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and 
shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him,  that  he  should  de- 
ceive the  nations  no  more,  till  the  thousand  years  should  be 
fulfilled :  and  after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season. ' ' " 

That  the  expression  "bottomless  pit"  represents  the 
earth  in  a  state  of  confusion  and  darkness,  is  evident  from 
other  scriptures.  Concerning  the  condition  of  the  earth 
"in  the  beginning,"  the  Bible  record  says  that  it  "was 
Avithout  form,  and  void;  and  darkness  was  upon  the  face 
of  the  deep."^     Prophecy  teaches  that  it  will  be  brought 

»Lev.  16:21.  *Rev.   20:1-3. 

'  Gen.   1 : 2.     The  word  here  translated  * '  deep ' '  is  the  same  that  in 

Eev.  20:1-3  is  rendered  "bottomless  pit." 


DESOLATION  OF  THE  EARTH  659 

back,  partially  at  least,  to  this  condition.  Looking  forward 
to  the  great  day  of  God,  the  prophet  Jeremiah  declares:  "I 
beheld  the  earth,  and,  lo,  it  was  without  form,  and  void ; 
and  the  heavens,  and  they  had  no  light.  I  beheld  the  moun- 
tains, and,  lo,  they  trembled,  and  all  the  hills  moved  lightly. 
I  beheld,  and,  lo,  there  was  no  man,  and  all  the  birds  of 
the  heavens  were  fled.  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  the  fruitful  place 
was   a   wilderness,   and   all   the   cities   thereof   were   broken 

down.  ^0HM*nMHIHMMHHan^BMMM^lM 

Here  is  to  be  the  lioiii£_iiL  Batan-mib— hia-SY^il  .-aiige.is-^orl 
a  thousand  years.  Liiiiited  t^ineearth,  he  willnotiiave 
access  to  other  worlds,  to  tempt  and  annoy  those  who  have 
never  fallen.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  he  is  bound :  there  are 
none  remaining,  upon  whom  he  can  exercise  his  power. 
He  is  wholly  cut  off  from  the  work  of  deception  and  ruin 
which  for  so  many  centuries  has  been  his  sole  delight. 

The  prophet  Isaiah,  looking  forward  to  the  time  of 
Satan's  overthrow,  exclaims:  "How  art  thou  fallen  from 
heaven,  0  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morning!  how  art  thou  cut 
down  to  the  ground,  which  didst  weaken  the  nations !  .  .  . 
Thou  hast  said  in  thine  heart,  I  will  ascend  into  heaven, 
I  will  exalt  my  throne  above  the  stars  of  God."  "I  wili_be 
li^  the  Most  High.  Yet  thou  shalt  be  brought  down  to 
hell,  to  the  sides  of  the  pit.  They  that  see  thee  shall  nar- 
rowly look  upon  thee,  and  consider  thee,  saying.  Is  this 
the  man  that  made  the  earth  to  tremble,  that  did  shake 
kingdoms;  that  made  the  world  as  a  wilderness,  and  de- 
stroyed the  cities  thereof;  that  queried  not_Jh6  house  q£Jus 
prisoners?"'  ■'■*  '••   "' ■  -  ■     -    '.  ■■    ^■■'■t      •d.-i.t 

"For  six  thousand  years,  Satan's  work  of  rebellion  has 
"made  the  earth  to  tremble."  He  has  "made  the  world  as 
a  wilderness,  and  destroyed  the  cities  thereof."  And  "he 
opened  not  the  hduse  of  his  prisoners."  For  six  thousand 
years  his  prison-house  has  received  God's  people,  and  he 
would  have  held  them  captive  forever,  but  Christ  has  broken 
his  bondS)  and  set  the  prisoners  free. 

'Jer.  4:23-27.  *  laa.  14:12-17. 


660  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Even  the  wicked  are  now  placed  beyond  the  power  of 
Satan;  and  alone  with  his  evil  angels  he  remains  to  realize 
the  effect  of  the  curse  which  sin  has  brought.  "The  kinga 
of  the  nations,  even  all  of  them,  lie  in  glory,  every  one  in 
his  own  house  [the  grave] .  But  thou  art  cast  out  of  thy 
grave  like  an  abominable  branch,  .  .  .  Thou  shalt  not  be 
joined  with  them  in  burial,  because  thou  hast  destroyed 
thy  land,  and  slain  thy  people. ' ' ' 

liHiAMpaaMpiijibteaMMUHHflifllMr  to  and  fro  in 


th^dggolat^^ayijl^^^beholdth^results   of   his   rebellion 
against  the  law  of  God.     Durrngtms  time  his  sufferings  are 


intense.  Since  his  fall,  his  life  of  unceasing  activity  has 
banished  reflection ;  but  he  is  now  deprived  of  his  power, 
and  left  to  contemplate  the  part  which  he  has  acted  since 
first  he  rebelled  against  the  government  of  heaven,  and  to 
look  forward  with  trembling  and  terror  to  the  dreadful 
future,  when  he  must  suffer  for  all  the  evil  that  he  has 
done,  and  be  punished  for  the  sins  that  he  has  caused  to 
be  committed. 

To  God's  people,  the  captivity  of  Satan  will  bring  glad- 
ness and  rejoicing.  Says  the  prophet :  "It  shall  come  to 
pass  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  rest  from  thy 
sorrow,  and  from  thy  trouble,  and  from  the  hard  service 
wherein  thou  wast  made  to  serve,  that  thou  shalt  take  up 
this  proverb  against  the  king  of  Babylon  [here  representini^ 
Satan],  and  say.  How  hath  the  oppressor  ceased!  ,  .  .  The 
Lord  hath  broken  tlie  staff  of  the  wicked,  the  scepter  of 
the  rulers;  that  smote  the  peoples  in  wrath  with  a  continual 
stroke,  that  ruled  the  nations  in  anger,  with  a  persecution 
that  none  restrained."^ 

During  the  thousand  years  between  the  first  and  the 
second  resurrection,  the  judgment  of  the  wicked  takes  place. 
The  apostle  Paul  points  to  this  judgment  as  an  event  that 
follows  the  second  advent.  "Judge  nothing  before  the  time, 
until  the  Lord  come,  who  both  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness,  and  will  make  manifest  the  counsels  of 
» Isa.  14 :  18-20.  *  Isa.  14 : 3-6,  R.  V. 


DESOLATION  OF  THE  EARTH  661 

the  hearts.'"  Daniel  declares  that  when  the  Ancient  of  days 
came,  "judgment  was  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High.""  At  this  time  the  righteous  reign  as  kings  and 
priests  unto  God.  John  in  the  Revelation  says:  "I  saw 
thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given 
unto  them."  "They  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
and  shall  reign  with  Him  a  thousand  years.  "^  It  is  at 
this  time  that,  as  foretold  by  Paul,  "the  saints  shall  judge 
the  world."'  In  union  with  Christ  they  judge  the  wicked, 
comparing  their  acts  with  the  statute-book,  the  Bible,  and 
deciding  every  case  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body.  Then  the  portion  which  the  wicked  must  suffer  is 
meted  out,  according  to  their  M'orks;  and  it  is  recorded 
against  their  names  in  the  book  of  death. 

Satan  also  and  evil  angels  are  judged  by  Christ  and  His 
people.  Says  Paul,  "Know  ye  not  that  we  shall  judge 
angels?""  And  Jude  declares  that  "the  angels  which  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  but  left  their  OM^n  habitation,  He  hath 
reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness  unto  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day."* 

At  the  close  of  the  thousand  years  the  second  resurrec- 
tion will  take  place.  Then  the  wicked  will  be  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  appear  before  God  for  the  execution  of  "the 
judgment  written."  Thus  the  revelator,  after  describing 
the  resurrection  of  the  righteous,  says,  "The  rest  of  the  dead 
lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were  finished."" 
And  Isaiah  declares,  concerning  the  wicked,  "They  shall  be 
gathered  together,  as  prisoners  are  gathered  in  the  pit,  and 
shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison,  and  after  many  days  shall 
they  he  visited.'" 

»1  Cor.  4:5.  ^'Dan.  7:22.  » Rev.  20:4,  6;   1  Cor.  6:2,  3, 

♦Jude  6.  "Rev.  20:5;  Isa.  24:22. 


THE  GOMTROUERSY   ENDED -42 


At  the  close  of  the  thousand  years,  Christ  again  returns 
to  the  earth.  lie  is  accompanied  by  the  host  of  the 
redeemed,  and  attended  bj^  a  retinue  of  angels.  As  lie 
descends  in  terrific  majasty,  lie  bids  the  wicked  dead  arise 
to  receive  their  doom.  They  come  forth,  a  mighty  host,  num- 
berless as  the  sands  of  the  sea.  What  a  contrast  to  those 
who  were  raised  at  the  first  resurrection !  The  righteous 
were  clothed  with  immortal  youth  and  beauty.  The  wicked 
bear  the  traces  of  disease  and  death. 

Every  eye  in  that  vast  multitude  is  turned  to  behold  the 
glory  of  the  Son  of  God.  With  one  voice  the  wicked  hosts 
exclaim,  "Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord!"  It  is  not  love  to  Jesus  that  inspires  this  utterance. 
The  force  of  truth  urges  the  words  from  unwilling  lips.  As 
the  wicked  went  into  their  graves,  so  they  come  forth,  with 
the  same  enmity  to  Christ,  and  the  same  spirit  of  rebellion. 
They  are  to  have  no  new  probation,  in  which  to  remedy  the 
defects  of  their  past  lives.  Nothing  would  be  gained  by 
this.  A  lifetime  of  transgression  has  not  softened  their 
hearts.  A  second  probation,  were  it  given  them,  would  be 
occupied  as  was  the  first,  in  evading  the  requirements  of 
God  and  exciting  rebellion  against  Him. 

Christ  descends  upon  the  I\Iount  of  Olives,  whence,  after 
His  resurrection.  He  ascended,  and  where  angels  repeated 
the  promise  of  His  return.  Says  the  prophet :  ' '  The  Lord  my 
(662) 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  663 

God  shall  come,  and  all  the  saints  with  Thee."  ''And  His 
feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  which 
is  before  Jerusalem  on  the  east,  and  the  Mount  of  Olives 
shall  cleave  in  the  midst  thereof,  .  .  .  and  there  shall  be 
a  very  great  valley."  "And  the  Lord  shall  be  king  over 
all  the  earth:  in  that  day  shall  there  be  one  Lord,  and  His 
name  one."*  As  the  New  Jerusalem,  in  its  dazzling  splen- 
dor, eomes  down  out  of  heaven,  it  rests  upon  the  place  puri- 
fied and  made  ready  to  receive  it,  and  Christ,  with  His 
people  and  the  angels,  enters  the  holy  city. 

Now  Satan  prepares  for  a  last  mighty  struggle  for  the 
supremacy.  While  deprived  of  his  power,  and  cut  off  from 
his  work  of  deception,  the  prince  of  evil  was  miserable  and 
dejected ;  but  as  the  wicked  dead  are  raised,  and  he  sees  the 
vast  multitudes  upon  his  side,  his  hopes  revive,  and  he 
determines  not  to  yield  the  great  controversy.  He  will 
marshal  all  the  armies  of  the  lost  under  his  banner,  and 
through  them  endeavor  to  execute  his  plans.  The  wicked 
are  Satan's  captives.  In  rejecting  Christ  they  have  accepted 
the  rule  of  the  rebel  leader.  They  are  ready  to  receive  his 
suggestions  and  to  do  his  bidding.  Yet,  true  to  his  early 
cunning,  he  does  not  acknowledge  himself  to  be  Satan.  He 
claims  to  be  the  prince  who  is  the  rightful  owner  of  the 
world,  and  whose  inheritance  has  been  unlawfully  wrested 
from  him.  He  represents  himself  to  his  deluded  subjects 
as  a  redeemer,  assuring  them  that  his  power  has  brought 
them  forth  from  their  graves,  and  that  he  is  about  to  rescue 
them  from  the  most  cruel  tyranny.  The  presence  of  Christ 
having  been  removed,  Satan  works  wonders  to  support  his 
claims.  He  makes  the  weak  strong,  and  inspires  all  with 
his  own  spirit  and  energy.  Ho  proposes  to  lead  them 
against  the  camp  of  the  saints,  and  to  take  possession  of 
the  city  of  God.  Witii  fiendish  exultation  he  points  to  the 
unnumbered  millions  who  have  been  raised  from  the  dead, 
and  declares  that  as  their  leader  he  is  well  able  to  over- 
throw the  city,  and  regain  his  throne  and  his  kingdom. 
»Zech.  14:5,  4,  9. 


664  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  that  vast  throng  are  multitudes  of  the  long-lived  race 
that  existed  before  the  flood;  men  of  lofty  stature  and  giant 
intellect,  who,  yielding  to  the  control  of  fallen  angels,  de- 
voted all  their  skill  and  knowledge  to  the  exaltation  of 
themselves ;  men  whose  wonderful  works  of  art  led  the 
world  to  idolize  their  genius,  but  whose  cruelty  and  evil 
inventions,  defiling  the  earth  and  defacing  the  image  of 
God,  caused  Him  to  blot  them  from  the  face  of  His  creation. 
There  are  kings  and  generals  who  conquered  nations,  val- 
iant men  who  never  lost  a  battle,  proud,  ambitious  warriors 
whose  approach  made  kingdoms  tremble.  In  death  these 
experienced  no  change.  As  they  come  up  from  the  grave, 
they  resume  the  current  of  their  thoughts  just  where  it 
ceased.  They  are  actuated  by  the  same  desire  to  conquer 
that  ruled  them  when  thoy  fell. 

Satan  consults  with  his  angels,  and  then  with  these 
kings  and  conquerors  and  mighty  men.  They  look  upon 
the  strength  and  numbers  on  their  side,  and  declare  that 
the  army  within  the  city  is  small  in  comparison  with  theirs, 
and  that  it  can  be  overcome.  They  lay  their  plans  to  take 
possession  of  the  riches  and  glory  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 
AU  immediately  begin  to  prepare  for  battle.  Skilful  arti- 
sans construct  implements  of  war.  IMilitary  leaders,  famed 
for  their  success,  marshal  the  throngs  of  warlike  men  into 
companies  and  divisions. 

At  last  the  order  to  advance  is  given,  and  the  countless 
host  moves  on, —  an  army  such  as  was  never  summoned  by 
earthly  conquerors,  such  as  the  combined  forces  of  all  ages 
since  war  began  on  earth  could  never  equal.  Satan,  the 
mightiest  of  warriors,  leads  the  van,  and  his  angels  unite 
their  forces  for  this  final  struggle.  Kings  and  warriors  are 
in  his  train,  and  the  multitudes  follow  in  vast  companies, 
each  under  its  appointed  leader.  With  military  precision, 
the  serried  ranks  advance  over  the  earth's  broken  and  un- 
even surface  to  the  city  of  God.  By  command  of  Jesus,  the 
gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  closed,  and  the  armies  of 
Satan  surround  the  city,  and  make  ready  for  the  onset. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  EXDED  665 

Now  Christ  again  appears  to  the  view  of  His  enemies. 
Far  above  the  city,  upon  a  foundation  of  burnished  gold,  is 
a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up.  Upon  this  throne  sits  the  Son 
of  God,  and  around  Him  are  the  subjects  of  His  kingdom. 
The  power  and  majesty  of  Christ  no  language  can  describe, 
no  pen  portray.  The  glory  of  the  Eternal  Father  is  en- 
shrouding His  Son.  The  brightness  of  His  presence  fills 
the  city  of  God,  and  flows  out  beyond  the  gates,  flooding 
the  whole  earth  with  its  radiance. 

Nearest  the  throne  are  those  who  were  once  zealous  in  the 
cause  of  Satan,  but  who,  plucked  as  brands  from  the  burn- 
ing, have  followed  their  Saviour  with  deep,  intense  devotion. 
Next  are  those  who  perfected  Christian  characters  in  the 
midst  of  falsehood  and  infidelity,  those  who  honored  the 
law  of  God  when  the  Christian  world  declared  it  void,  and 
the  millions,  of  all  ages,  who  were  martyred  for  their  faith. 
And  beyond  is  the  "great  multitude,  which  no  man  could 
number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues,  .  .  .  before  the  tlirpne,  and  ])efore  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands."* 
Their  warfare  is  ended,  their  victory  won.  They  have  run 
the  race  and  reached  the  prize.  The  palm  branch  in  their 
hands  is  a  symbol  of  their  triumph,  the  white  robe  an  em- 
blem of  the  spotless  righteousness  of  Clirist  which  now  is 
theirs. 

The  redeemed  raise  a  song  of  praise  that  echoes  and  re- 
echoes through  the  vaults  of  heaven,  "Salvation  to  our 
God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb." 
And  angel  and  seraph  unite  their  voices  in  adoration.  As 
the  redeemed  have  belield  the  power  and  malignity  of 
Satan,  they  have  seen,  as  never  before,  that  no  power  but 
that  of  Christ  could  have  made  them  conquerors.  In  all 
that  shining  throng  there  are  none  to  ascribe  salvation  to 
themselves,  as  if  they  had  prevailed  by  their  own  power  and 
goodness.  Nothing  is  said  of  what  they  have  done  or  suf- 
fered; but  the  burden  of  every  song,  the  keynote  of  every 
anthem,  is,  Salvation  to  our  God,  and  unto  the  Lamb. 

>Rev.  7:9. 


666  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

In  the  presence  of  the  assembled  inhabitants  of  earth  and 
heaven  the  final  coronation  of  the  Son  of  God  takes  place. 
And  now,  invested  with  supreme  majesty  and  power,  the 
King  of  kings  pronounces  sentence  upon  the  rebels  against 
His  government,  and  executes  justice  upon  those  who  have 
transgressed  His  law  and  oppressed  His  people.  Says  the 
prophet  of  God:  "I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  Him 
that  sat  on  it,  from  Avhose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled 
away;  and  there  Avas  found  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw 
the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God;  and  the  books 
were  opened :  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the 
book  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things 
which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works."* 

As  soon  as  the  books  of  record  are  opened,  and  the  eye  of 
Jesus  looks  upon  the  kicked,  they  are  conscious  of  every  sin 
which  tliey  have  ever  committed.  They  see  just  where 
their  feet  diverged  from  the  path  of  purity  and  holiness, 
just  how  far  pride  and  rebellion  liave  carried  them  in  the 
violation  of  the  law  of  God.  The  seductive  temptations 
which  they  encouraged  by  indulgence  in  sin,  the  blessings 
perverted,  the  messengers  of  God  despised,  the  warnings 
rejected,  the  waves  of  mercy  beaten  back  by  the  stub- 
born, unrepentant  heart, —  all  appear  as  if  written  in 
letters  of   fire. 

Above  the  throne  is  revealed  the  cross;  and  like  a  pano- 
ramic view  appear  the  scenes  of  Adam's  temptation  and 
fall,  and  the  successive  steps  in  the  great  plan  of  redemp- 
tion. The  Saviour's  lowly  birth;  His  early  life  of  sim- 
plicity and  obedience ;  His  baptism  in  Jordan ;  the  fast  and 
temptation  in  the  wilderness;  His  public  ministry,  unfold- 
ing to  men  lieaven's  most  precious  blessings;  the  days 
crowded  with  deeds  of  love  and  mercy,  the  nights  of  prayer 
and  watching  in  the  solitude  of  the  mountains;  the  plottings 
of  envy,  hate,  and  malice  which  repaid  His  benefits;  the 
awful,  mysterious  agony  in  Gethsemane,  beneath  the  crush- 
ing weight  of  the  sins  of  the  whole  world;  His  betrayal 
into  the  hands  of  the  murderous  mob;  the  fearful  events 
>EeT.  20:11,  12. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  667 

of  that  night  of  horror, —  the  unresisting  prisoner,  for- 
saken by  His  best-loved  disciples,  rudely  hurried  through 
the  streets  of  Jerusalem;  the  Son  of  God  exultingly  dis- 
played before  Annas,  arraigned  in  the  high  priest's  palace, 
in  the  judgment-hall  of  Pilate,  before  the  cowardly  and 
cruel  Herod,  mocked,  insulted,  tortured,  and  condemned  to 
die, —  all  are  vividly  portrayed. 

And  now  before  the  swaying  multitude  are  revealed  the 
final  scenes, —  the  patient  Sufferer  treading  the  path  to  Cal- 
vary; the  Prince  of  heaven  hanging  upon  the  cross;  the 
haughty  priests  and  the  jeering  rabble  deriding  His  ex- 
piring agony;  the  supernatural  darkness;  the  heaving  earth, 
the  rent  rocks,  the  open  graves,  marking  the  moment  when 
the  world's  Redeemer  yielded  up  His  life. 

The  awful  spectacle  appears  just  as  it  was.  Satan,  his 
angels,  and  his  subjects  have  no  power  to  turn  from  the 
picture  of  their  own  work.  Each  actor  recalls  the  part 
which  he  performed.  Herod,  who  slew  the  innocent  chil- 
dren of  Bethlehem  that  he  might  destroy  the  King  of  Israel; 
the  base  Herodias,  upon  whose  guilty  soul  rests  the  blood  of 
John  the  Baptist ;  the  weak,  time-serving  Pilate ;  the  mock- 
ing soldiers;  the  priests  and  rulers  and  the  maddened  throng 
who  cried,  "His  blood  be  on  us,  and  on  our  children!" — 
all  behold  the  enormity  of  their  guilt.  They  vainly  seek  to 
hide  from  the  divine  majesty  of  His  countenance,  outshining 
the  glory  of  the  sun,  while  the  redeemed  cast  their  crowns 
at  the  Saviour's  feet,  exclaiming,  "He  died  for  me!" 

Amid  the  ransomed  throng  are  the  apostles  of  Christ,  the 
heroic  Paul,  the  ardent  Peter,  the  loved  and  loving  John, 
and  their  true-hearted  brethren,  and  Avith  them  the  vast 
host  of  martyrs;  while  outside  the  walls,  with  every  vile 
and  abominable  thing,  are  those  by  whom  they  were  per- 
secuted, imprisoned,  and  slain.  There  is  Nero,  that  monster 
of  cruelty  and  vice,  beholding  the  joy  and  exaltation  of  those 
whom  he  once  tortured,  and  in  whose  extremest  anguish  he 
found  Satanic  delight.  His  mother  is  there  to  witness  the 
result  of  her  own  work;  to  see  how  the  evil  stamp  of  char- 


668  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

acter  transmitted  to  her  son,  the  passions  encouraged  and 
developed  by  her  influence  and  example,  have  borne  fruit 
in  crimes  that  caused  the  world  to  shudder. 

There  are  papist  priests  and  prelates,  who  claimed  to  be 
Christ's  ambassadors,  yet  employed  the  rack,  the  dungeon, 
and  the  stake  to  control  the  consciences  of  His  people.  There 
are  the  proud  pontiffs  who  exalted  themselves  above  God, 
and  presumed  to  change  the  law  of  the  Most  High.  Those 
pretended  fathers  of  the  church  have  an  account  to  render 
to  God  from  which  they  would  fain  be  excused.  Too  late 
they  are  made  to  see  that  the  Omniscient  One  is  jealous  of 
His  law,  and  that  He  will  in  no  wise  clear  the  guilty.  They 
learn  now  that  Christ  identifies  His  interest  with  that  of  His 
suffering  people;  and  they  feel  the  force  of  His  own  words, 
"Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 
these   My  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto   Me. ' '  * 

The  whole  wicked  world  stand  arraigned  at  the  bar  of 
God,  on  the  charge  of  high  treason  against  the  government 
of  heaven.  They  have  none  to  plead  their  cause;  they  are 
without  excuse;  and  the  sentence  of  eternal  death  is  pro- 
nounced against  them. 

It  is  now  evident  to  all  that  the  wages  of  sin  is  not  noble 
independence  and  eternal  life,  but  slavery,  ruin,  and  death. 
The  wicked  see  what  they  have  forfeited  by  their  life  of 
rebellion.  The  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory  was  despised  when  offered  them;  but  how  desirable 
it  now  appears.  "All  this,"  cries  the  lost  soul,  "I  might 
have  had;  but  I  chose  to  put  these  things  far  from  me. 
Oh,  strange  infatuation!  I  have  exchanged  peace,  happi- 
ness, and  honor,  for  wretchedness,  infamy,  and  despair." 
All  see  that  their  exclusion  from  heaven  is  just.  By  their 
lives  they  have  declared,  "We  will  not  have  this  Jesus  to 
reign  over  us." 

As  if  entranced,  the  \ncked  have  looked  upon  the  coro- 
nation of  the  Son  of  God.  They  see  in  His  hands  the  tables 
of  the  divine  law,  the  statutes  which  they  have  despised  and 
transgressed.    They  witness  the  outburst  of  wonder,  rapture, 

»Matt.  25:40. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  669 

and  adoration  from  the  saved;  and  as  the  wave  of  melody 
sweeps  over  the  multitudes  without  the  city,  all  with  one 
voice  exclaim,  "Great  and  marvelous  are  Thy  works.  Lord 
God  Almighty;  just  and  true  are  Thy  ways,  Thou  King  of 
saints ; ' "  and  falling  prostrate,  they  worship  the  Prince 
of  life. 

Satan  seems  paralyzed  as  he  beholds  the  glory  and 
majesty  of  Christ.  He  who  was  once  a  covering  cherub 
remembers  whence  he  has  fallen.  A  shining  seraph,  "son  of 
the  morning;"  how  changed,  how  degraded!  From  the 
council  where  once  he  was  honored,  he  is  forever  excluded. 
He  sees  another  now  standing  near  to  the  Father,  veiling 
His  glory.  He  has  seen  the  crown  placed  upon  the  head  of 
Christ  by  an  angel  of  lofty  stature  and  majestic  presence, 
and  he  knows  that  the  exalted  position  of  this  angel  might 
have  been  his. 

Memory  recalls  the  home  of  his  innocence  and  purity, 
the  peace  and  content  that  were  his  until  he  indulged  in 
murmuring  against  God,  and  envy  of  Christ.  His  accu- 
sations, his  rebellion,  his  deceptions  to  gain  the  sympathy 
and  support  of  the  angels,  his  stubborn  persistence  in  mak- 
ing no  effort  for  self-recovery  when  God  would  have  granted 
him  forgiveness, —  all  come  vividly  before  him.  He  reviews 
his  work  among  men  and  its  results, —  the  enmity  of  man 
toward  his  fellow-man,  the  terrible  destruction  of  life,  the 
rise  and  fall  of  kingdoms,  the  overturning  of  thrones,  the 
long  succession  of  tumults,  conflicts,  and  revolutions.  He 
recalls  his  constant  efforts  to  oppose  the  work  of  Christ  and 
to  sink  man  lower  and  lower.  He  sees  that  his  hellish  plots 
have  been  powerless  to  destroy  those  who  have  put  their 
trust  in  Jesus.  As  Satan  looks  upon  his  kingdom,  the  fruit 
of  his  toil,  he  sees  only  failure  and  ruin.  PTe  has  led  the 
multitudes  to  believe  that  the  city  of  God  would  be  an  easy 
prey;  but  he  knows  that  this  is  false.  Again  and  again,  in 
the  progress  of  the  great  controversy,  he  has  been  defeated, 
and  compelled  to  yield.  He  knows  too  well  the  power  and 
majesty  of  the  Eternal. 

^Eev.  15:3. 


670  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

The  aim  of  the  great  rebel  has  ever  been  to  justify  him- 
self, and  to  prove  the  divine  government  responsible  for  the 
rebellion.  To  this  end  he  has  bent  all  the  power  of  his 
giant  intellect.  He  has  worked  deliberately  and  systemat- 
ically, and  with  marvelous  success,  leading  vast  multitudes 
to  accept  his  version  of  the  great  controversy  which  has 
been  so  long  in  progress.  For  thousands  of  years  this  chief 
of  conspiracy  has  palmed  off  falsehood  for  truth.  But  the 
time  has  now  come  when  the  rebellion  is  to  be  finally  de- 
feated, and  the  history  and  character  of  Satan  disclosed. 
In  his  last  great  effort  to  dethrone  Christ,  destroy  His  peo- 
ple, and  take  possession  of  the  city  of  God,  the  arch-deceiver 
has  been  fully  unmasked.  Those  who  have  united  with  him 
see  the  total  failure  of  his  cause.  Christ's  followers  and  the 
loyal  angels  behold  the  full  extent  of  his  machinations 
against  the  government  of  God.  He  is  the  object  of  uni- 
versal abhorrence. 

Satan  sees  that  his  voluntary  rebellion  has  unfitted  him 
for  heaven.  He  has  trained  his  powers  to  war  against  God; 
the  purity,  peace,  and  harmony  of  heaven  would  be  to  him 
supreme  torture.  His  accusations  against  the  mercj'  and 
justice  of  God  are  now  silenced.  The  reproach  which  he 
has  endeavored  to  cast  upon  Joliovah  rests  wholly  upon 
himself.  And  now  Satan  bows  down,  and  confesses  the 
justice  of  his  sentence.  '   fn.Bv/0) 

"Who  shall  not  fear  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  Thy 
name?  for  Thou  only  art  holy:  for  all  nations  shall  come 
and  worship  before  Thee;  for  Thy  judgments  are  made 
manifest.'"  Every  question  of  truth  and  error  in  the  long- 
standing controversy  has  now  been  made  plain.  The  re- 
sults of  rebellion,  the  fruits  of  setting  aside  the  divine 
statutes,  have  been  laid  open  to  the  view  of  all  ct^eated  in- 
telligences. The  working  out  of  Satan's  rule  in  contrast 
with  the  government  of  God,  has  been  presented  to  the 
whole  universe.  Satan's  own  works  have  condemned  him. 
God's  wisdom,  His  justice,  and  His  goodness  stand  fully 
vindicated.     It  is  seen  that  all  His  dealings  in  the  great 

'Bev.  15:4. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  671 

controversy  have  been  conducted  with  respect  to  the  eternal 
good  of  His  people,  and  tlie  good  of  all  the  worlds  that  He 
has  created.  ''AH  Thy  works  shall  praise  Thee,  0  Lord; 
and  Thy  saints  shall  bless  Thee. ' ' '  The  history  of  sin  will 
stand  to  all  eternity  as  a  witness  that  with  the  existence  of 
God's  law  is  bound  up  the  happiness  of  all  the  beings  He 
has  created.  "With  all  the  facts  of  the  great  controversy  in 
view,  the  whole  universe,  both  loyal  and  rebellious,  with 
one  accord  declare,  "Just  and  true  are  Thy  ways,  Thou 
King  of  saints." 

Before  the  universe  has  been  clearly  presented  the  great 
sacrifice  made  by  the  Father  and  the  Son  in  man's  behalf. 
The  hour  has  come  when  Christ  occupies  His  rightful  posi- 
tion, and  is  glorified  above  principalities  and  powers  and 
every  name  that  is  named.  It  was  for  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  Him, —  that  He  might  bring  many  sons  unto  glory, — 
that  He  endured  the  cross  and  despised  the  shame.  And 
inconceivably  great  as  was  the  sorrow  and  the  shame,  yet 
greater  is  the  joy  and  the  glory.  He  looks  upon  the  re- 
deemed, renewed  in  His  own  image,  every  heart  bearing  the 
perfect  impress  of  the  divine,  every  face  reflecting  the  like- 
ness of  their  King.  He  beholds  in  them  the  result  of  the 
travail  of  His  soul,  and  He  is  satisfied.  Then,  in  a  voice  that 
reaches  the  assembled  multitudes  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked.  He  declares,  "Behold  the  purchase  of  My  blood! 
For  these  I  suffered,  for  these  I  died,  that  they  might  dwell 
in  ]\Iy  presence  throughout  eternal  ages."  And  the  song  of 
praise  ascends  from  the  white-robed  ones  about  the  throne, 
"Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and 
riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing. ' ' ' 

Notwithstanding  that  Satan  has  been  constrained  to  ac- 
knowledge God's  justice,  and  to  bow  to  the  supremacy  of 
Christ,  his  character  remains  unchanged.  The  spirit  of  re- 
bellion, like  a  mighty  torrent,  again  bursts  forth.  Filled 
with  frenzy,  he  determines  not  to  yield  the  great  contro- 
versy. The  time  has  come  for  a  last  desperate  struggle 
»Ps.  145:10.  'Rev.  5:12 


672  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

against  the  King  of  heaven.  He  rushes  into  the  midst  of 
his  subjects,  and  endeavors  to  inspire  them  with  his  own 
fury,  and  arouse  them  to  instant  battle.  But  of  all  the 
countless  millions  whom  he  has  allured  into  rebellion,  there 
are  none  now  to  acknowledge  his  supremacy.  His  power  is 
at  an  end.  The  wicked  are  filled  with  the  same  hatred  of 
God  that  inspires  Satan ;  but  they  see  that  their  case  is 
hopeless,  that  they  cannot  prevail  against  Jehovah,  Their 
rage  is  kindled  against  Satan  and  those  who  have  been  his 
agents  in  deception,  and  with  the  fury  of  demons  they  turn 
upon  them. 

Saith  the  Lord:  "Because  thou  hast  set  thine  heart  as 
the  heart  of  God;  behold,  therefore  I  ^\^ll  bring  strangers 
upon  thee,  the  terrible  of  the  nations:  and  they  shall  draw 
their  swords  against  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  they 
shall  defile  thy  brightness.  They  shall  bring  thee  down  to 
the  pit."  "I  will  destroy  thee,  0  covering  cherub,  from 
the  midst  of  the  stones  of  fire.  ...  I  will  cast  thee  to  the 
ground,  I  Avill  lay  thee  before  kings,  that  they  may  behold 
thee.  ...  I  will  bring  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  earth  in  the 
sight  of  all  them  that  behold  thee.  .  .  .  Thou  shalt  be 
a  terror,  and  never  shalt  thou  be  any  more. ' ' ' 

* '  Every  battle  of  the  warrior  is  with  confused  noise,  and 
garments  rolled  in  blood;  but  this  shall  be  with  burning 
and  fuel  of  fire."  *'The  indignation  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
all  nations,  and  His  fury  upon  all  their  armies:  He  hath 
utterly  destroyed  them.  He  hath  delivered  them  to  the 
slaughter."  "Upon  the  wicked  He  shall  rain  quick  burning 
coals,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a  horrible  tempest:  this  shall 
be  the  portion  of  their  cup."'  Fire  comes  down  from  God 
out  of  heaven.  The  earth  is  broken  up.  The  weapons  con- 
cealed in  its  depths  are  drawn  forth.  Devouring  flames 
burst  from  every  yawning  chasm.  The  very  rocks  are  on 
fire.  The  day  has  come  that  shall  bum  as  an  oven.  The 
elements  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also,  and  the 
works  that  are  therein  are  burned  up.'     The  earth's  surface 

»Eze.  28:6-8,  16-19.  ^^  Isa.  9:5;  34:2;  Ps.  11:6  (margin). 

"Mai.  4:1;  2  Peter  3:10. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  673 

seems  one  molten  mass, —  a  vast,  seething  lake  of  fire.  It  is 
the  time  of  the  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men,— 
"the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recom- 
penses for  the  controversy  of  Zion. ' ' ' 

The  wicked  receive  their  recompense  in  the  earth.'  They 
"shall  be  stubble:  and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them 
up,  gaith  the  Lord  of  hosts. ' ' '  Some  are  destroyed  as  in  a 
moment,  wliile  others  suffer  many  days.  All  are  punished 
"according  to  their  deeds."  The  sins  of  the  righteous  hav- 
ing been  transferred  to  Satan,  he  is  made  to  suffer  not  only 
for  his  own  rebellion,  but  for  all  the  sins  which  he  has 
caused  God's  people  to  commit.  His  punishment  is  to  be 
far  greater  than  that  of  those  whom  he  has  deceived.  After 
all  have  perished  who  fell  by  his  deceptions,  he  is  still  to 
live  and  suffer  on.  In  the  cleansing  flames  the  wicked  are  at 
last  destroyed,  root  and  branch, —  Satan  the  root,  his  fol- 
lowers the  branches.  The  full  penalty  of  the  law  has  been 
visited;  the  demands  of  justice  have  been  met;  and  heaven 
and  earth,  beholding,  declare  the  righteousness  of  .Jehovah. 

Satan's  work  of  ruin  is  forever  ended.  For  six  thousand 
years  he  has  wrought  his  will,  filling  the  earth  with  woe, 
and  causing  grief  throughout  the  universe.  The  whole 
creation  has  groaned  and  travailed  together  in  pain.  Now 
God's  creatures  are  forever  delivered  from  his  presence  and 
temptations.  "The  whole  earth  is  at  rest,  and  is  quiet:  thej' 
[the  righteous]  break  forth  into  singing."^  And  a  shout 
of  praise  and  triumph  ascends  from  the  whole  loyal  uni- 
verse. "The  voice  of  a  great  multitude,"  "as  the  voice 
of  many ;  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings," 
is  heard,  saying,  "Alleluia;  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth. ' ' 

While  the  earth  was  wrapped  in  the  fire  of  destruction, 
the  righteous  abode  safely  in  the  holy  city.  Upon  those 
that  had  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  the  second  deatli  has 
no  power.  While  God  is  to  the  wicked  a  consuming  fire, 
He  is  to  His  people  both  a  sun  and  a  shield.* 

.  »l8a.  34:8;  Prov.  11:31.  -'Mai.  4:1. 

•Isa.  14:7.  *  Rev.  20:6;  Ps.  84:11. 

22— G.C. 


674  THE   GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

"I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away. ' '  *  The  fire 
that  consumes  the  wicked  purifies  the  earth.  Every  trace 
of  the  curse  is  swept  away.  No  eternally  burning  hell  will 
keep  before  the  ransomed  the  fearful  consequences  of  sin. 

One  reminder  alone  remains:  our  Redeemer  will  ever 
bear  the  marks  of  His  crucifixion.  Upon  His  wounded  head, 
upon  His  side,  His  hands  and  feet,  are  the  only  traces  of 
the  cruel  work  that  sin  has  wrouglit.  Says  the  prophet, 
beholding  Christ  in  His  glory,  "He  had  bright  beams  com- 
ing out  of  His  side:  and  there  was  the  hiding  of  His 
power.'"'  That  pierced  side  whence  flowed  the  crimson 
stream  that  reconciled  man  to  God, —  there  is  the  Saviour's 
glory,  there  "the  hiding  of  His  poAver. "  "Mighty  to  save," 
through  the  sacrifice  of  redemption,  He  was  therefore  strong 
to  execute  justice  upon  them  that  despised  God's  mercy. 
And  tlie  tokens  of  His  humiliation  arc  His  highest  honor; 
through  the  eternal  ages  the  wounds  of  Calvary  will  show 
forth  His  praise,  and  declare  His  power. 

"0  tower  of  the  flock,  the  stronghold  of  the  daughter 
of  Zi(m,  unto  thee  shall  it  come,  even  the  first  dominion."^ 
The  time  has  come,  to  which  holy  men  have  looked  with 
longing  since  the  flaming  sword  barred  the  first  pair  from 
Eden, —  the  time  for  "the  redemption  of  the  purchased 
possession."*  The  earth  originally  given  to  man  as  his 
kingdom,  betrayed  by  him  into  the  hands  of  Satan,  and  so 
long  held  by  the  mighty  foe,  has  been  brought  back  by  the 
great  plan  of  redemption.  All  that  was  lost  by  sin  has  been 
restored.  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  .  .  .  that  formed  the  earth 
and  made  it;  Pie  hath  established  it,  Pie  created  it  not  in 
vain,  He  formed  it  to  be  inhal)ited."*  God's  original  pur- 
pose in  the  creation  of  the  earth  is  fulfilled  as  it  is  made 
the  eternal  abode  of  the  redeemed.  "The  righteous  shall 
inherit  the  land,  and  dwell  therein  forever.'" 

A  fear  of  making  the  future  inheritance  seem  too  ma- 
terial  has  led  many  to   spiritualize   away  the  very   truths 

>Eev.  21:1.         *Hab.  3:4  (margin).         'Micah  4:8;  Eph.  1:14. 
*Isa.  45:18.  "Ps.  37:29. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDISD  675 

which  lead  us  to  look  upon  it  as  our  home.  Christ  assured 
His  disciples  that  He  went  to  prepare  mansions  for  them  in 
the  Father's  house.  Those  who  accept  the  teachings  of 
God's  word  will  not  be  wholly  ignorant  concerning  the 
heavenly  abode.  And  yet, "eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."*  Human, 
language  is  inadequate  to  describe  the  reward  of  the 
righteous.  It  will  be  known  only  to  those  who  behold  it. 
No  finite  mind  can  comprehend  the  glory  of  the  Para- 
dise of  God. 

In  the  Bible  the  inheritance  of  the  saved  is  called  a  coun- 
try.' There  the  heavenly  Shepherd  leads  His  flock  to 
fountains  of  living  waters.  The  tree  of  life  yields  its  fruit 
every  month,  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  are  for  the  service 
of  the  nations.  There  are  ever-flowing  streams,  clear  as 
crystal,  and  beside  them  waving  trees  cast  their  shadows 
upon  the  paths  prepared  for  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord. 
-There  the  wide-spreading  plains  swell  into  hills  of  beauty, 
and  the  mountains  of  God  rear  their  lofty  summits.  On 
those  peaceful  plains,  beside  those  living  streams,  God's 
people,  so  long  pilgrims  and  wanderers,  shall  find  a  home. 

"My  people  shall  dwell  in  a  peaceful  habitation,  and 
in  sure  dwellings,  and  in  quiet  resting-places."  "Violence 
shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy  land,  wasting  nor  destruction 
within  thy  borders;  but  thou  shalt  call  thy  walls  Salva- 
tion, and  thy  gates  Praise."  "They  shall  build  houses, 
and  inhabit  them;  and  they  shall  plant  vineyards,  and  eat 
the  fruit  of  them.  They  shall  not  build,  and  another  in- 
habit ;  they  shalt  not  plant,  and  another  eat :  .  .  .  Mine 
elect  shall  long  enjoy  the  work  of  their  hands.  "^ 

There,  "the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be 
glad  for  them;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice,  and  blossom  as 
the  rose."  "Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir-tree, 
and  instead  of  the  brier  shall  come  up  the  myrtle-tree. ' '  * 
**The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  \vith  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard 

M  Cor.  2:9.  =  Heb.  11:14-16. 

«Isa.  32:18;  60:18;  65:21,  22.  'Isft.  35:1;  55:13. 


676  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

shall  lie  down  with  the  kid;  .  .  .  and  a  little  child  shall 
lead  them."  ''They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  My 
holy  mountain/'*  saith  the  Lord.  'i 

Pain  cannot  exist  in  the  atmosphere  of  heaven.  There 
will  be  no  more  tears,  no  funeral  trains,  no  badges  of  mourn- 
ing. "There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor 
crying,  .  .  .  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away."' 
"The  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am  sick:  the  people  that 
dwell  therein  shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity. "  * 

There  is  tlie  New  Jerusalem,  the  metropolis  of  the  glorified 
new  earth,  "a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and 
a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God."'  "Her  light  was 
like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper  stone, 
clear  as  crystal."  "The  nations  of  them  which  are  saved 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it :  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do 
bring  their  glory  and  honor  into  it. "  "^  Saith  the  Lord;  ' '  I 
will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  My  people."'  "The 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell  with  them, 
and  .they  shall  be  His  people,  and  God  Himself 'shall  be 
with  them,  and  be  their  God.  "^  i 

In  the  city  of  God  "there  shall  be  no  night"  None 
will  need  or  desire  repose.  There  will  be  no  weariness  in 
doing  the  will  of  God  and  offering  praise  to  His  name.  We 
shall  ever  feci  the  freshness  of  the  morning,  and  shall  ever 
be  far  from  its  close.  "And  they  need  no  candle,  neither 
light  of  the  sun;  for  the  Lord  God  givnth  them  light."' 
The  light  of  the  sun  will  be  superseded  by  a  radiance  which 
is  not  painfully  dazzling,  yet  which  immeasurably  surpasses 
the  brightness  of  our  noontide.  The  glory  of  God  and  the 
Lamb  floods  the  holy  city  with  unfading  light.  The 
redeemed  walk  in  the  sunless  glory  of  perpetual  day. '  ''i' 

"I  saw  no  temple  therein:  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty 
and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it."'  The  people  of  God 
are  privileged  to  hold  open  communion  with  the  Father  and 
the  Son.  "Now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly."*  We  be- 
hold the  image  of  God  reflected,  as  in  a  mirror,  in  ths  works 

*Isa.  11:6,  9;  33:24;  62:3;  65:19.  ^'Eev.  21:4,  11,  24,  3. 

«E©v.  22:5;  21:22.  :.'■  J  ;  *1  Cor.  13:12. 


THE  CONTROVERSY  ENDED  677 

of  nature  and  in  His  dealings  with  men;  but  then  we  shall 
see  Him  face  to  face,  without  a  dimming  veil  between.  "We 
shall  stand  in  His  presence,  and  behold  the  glory  of  His 
countenance. 

There  the  redeemed  shall  "know,  even  as  also  they  are 
known."  The  loves  and  sympathies  which  God  Himself  has 
planted  in .  the  soul,  shall  there  find  truest  and  sweetest 
exercise.  The  pure  communion  with  holy  beings,  the  har- 
monious social  life  with  the  blessed  angels  and  with  the  faith- 
ful ones  of  all  ages,  who  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  the  sacred  ties  that 
bind  together  "the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth,"* — 
these  help  to  constitute;  the  happiness  of  the  redeemed.      t<> 

There,  immortal  minds  will  contemplate  with  neverr 
failing  delight  the  wonders'  of  creative  power,  the  mys- 
teries of  redeeming  love.  There  will  be  no  cruel,  deceiving 
foe  to  tempt  to  f orgetf ulness  of  God.  Every  faculty  will  be 
developed,  every  capacity  increased.  The  acquirement  of 
knowledge  will  not  weary^theii'mind  or  exhaust  the  energies. 
There  the  grandest  enterprises  may  be  carried  forward,  the 
loftiest  aspirations  reached,  the  highest  ambitions  realized; 
^nd  iStill;  there  will  arise  new  heights  to  surmount,  new 
wonders  to  admire,  new  truths  to  comprelicnd,  fresh  objects 
to  call  forth  the  powers  of  mind  and  soul  and  body. 

All  the  treasures  of  the  universe  will  be  open  to  the 
study  of  God's  redeemed.  Unfettered  by  mortality,  they 
wing  their  tireless  flight  to  worlds  afar, —  worlds  that 
thrilled  with  sorrow  at  the  spectacle  of  human  woe,  and 
rang  wth  songs  of  gladness  at  the  tidings  of  a  ransomed 
soul.  "With  unutterable  delight  the  children  of  earth  enter 
into  the  joy  and  the  wisdom  of  unfallen  beings.  They  share 
the  treasures  of  knowledge  and  understanding  gained 
through  ages  upon  ages  in  contemplation  of  God's  handi- 
work. "With  undimmed  vision  they  gaze  upon  the  glory  of 
creation, —  suns  and  stars  and  systems,  all  in  their  ap- 
pointed   order    circling    the    throne    of    Deity.      Upon    all 

'Eph.  3:15. 


678'  THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

things,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  the  Creator's  name 
is  written,  and  in  all  are  the  riches  of  His  power  displayed. 

And  the  years  of  eternity,  as  they  roll,  will  bring  richer 
and  still  more  glorious  revelations  of  God  and  of  Christ. 
As  knowledge  is  progressive,  so  will  love,  reverence,  and 
happiness  increase.  The  more  men  learn  of  God,  the 
greater  will  be  their  admiration  of  His  character.  As 
Jesus  opens  before  them  the  riches  of  redemption,  and  the 
amazing  achievements  in  the  great  controversy  -vvith  Satan, 
the  hearts  of  the  ransomed  thrill  with  more  fervent  devo- 
tion, and  with  more  rapturous  joy  they  sweep  the  harps  of 
gold;  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  and  thousands 
of  thousands  of  voices  unite  to  swell  the  mighty  chorus  of 
praise. 

"And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea, 
and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying,  Blessing,  and 
honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever. ' '  * 

The  great  controversy  is  ended.  Sin  and  sinners  are 
no  more.  The  entire  universe  is  clean.  One  pulse  of  har- 
mony and  gladness  beats  through  the  vast  creation.  From 
Him  who  created  all,  flow  life  and  light  and  gladness, 
throughout  the  realms  of  illimitable  space.  From  the 
minutest  atom  to  the  greatest  world,  all  things,  animate  and 
inanimate,  in  their  unshadowed  beauty  and  perfect  joy, 
declare  that  God  is  love. 

'Rev.  5:13. 


APPENDIX 


GENERAL  NOTES 

Page  50.  Titles. —  In  a  passage  which  forms  a  part  of  the  Eoman 
canon  law,  Pope  Innocent  III.  declares  that  the  Eoman  pontiff  is  "the 
vicegerent  upon  earth,  not  of  a  mere  man,  but  of  very  God ; ' '  and  in  a 
gloss  on  the  passage  it  is  explained  that  this  is  because  he  is  the  vice- 
gerent of  Christ,  who  is  "very  God  and  very  man."  (See  Decretal. 
D.  Gregor.  Pap.  IX.  lib.  1.  de  translat.  Episc.  tit.  7.  c.  3.  Corp.  Jur. 
Canon,  ed.  Paris,  1612;  torn.  II.  Decretal,  col.  205.) 

For  the  title,  '  *  Lord  God  the  Pope, ' '  see  a  gloss  on  the  Extravagantes 
of  Pope  John  XXII.,  title  14,  ch.  4,  "  Declararmis."  In  an  Antwerp 
edition  of  the  Extravagantes,  dated  1584,  the  words  " Dominum  Deum 
nostrum  Papain"  ("Our  Lord  God  the  Pope")  occur  in  column  153.  In 
a  Paris  edition,  dated  1612,  they  occur  in  column  140.  In  several 
editions  published  since  1612,  the  word  "Deum"  ("God")  has  been 
omitted. 

Page  52.  Image  Worship. — "The  worship  of  images  .  .  .  was 
one  of  those  corruptions  of  Christianity  which  crept  into  the  church 
stealthily  and  almost  without  notice  or  observation.  This  corruption 
did  not,  like  other  heresies,  develop  itself  at  once,  for  in  that  case  it 
would  have  met  with  decided  censure  and  rebuke:  but,  making  its  com- 
mencement under  a  fair  disguise,  so  gradually  was  one  practice  after 
another  introduced  in  connection  with  it,  that  the  church  had  become 
deeply  steeped  in  practical  idolatry,  not  only  without  any  efficient 
opposition,  but  almost  without  any  decided  remonstrance;  and  when 
at  length  an  endeavor  was  made  to  root  it  out,  the  evil  was  found  too 
deeply  fixed  to  admit  of  removal.  ...  It  must  be  traced  to  the 
idolatrous  tendency  of  the  human  heart,  and  its  propensity  to  serve  the 
creature  more  than  the  Creator,   .    .    , 

' '  Images  and  pictures  were  first  introduced  into  churches,  not  to 
be  worsliiped,  but  either  in  the  place  of  books  to  give  instruction  to 
those  who  could  not  read,  or  to  excite  devotion  in  the  minds  of  others. 
How  far  they  ever  answered  such  a  purpose  is  doubtful;  but,  even 
granting  that  this  was  the  ease  for  a  time,  it  soon  ceased  to  be  so, 
and  it  was  found  that  pictures  and  images  brought  into  churches 
darkened  rather  than  enlightened  the  minds  of  the  ignorant  —  degraded 

(679) 


680  APPENDIX 

rather  than  exalted  the  devotion  of  the  worshiper.  So  that,  however 
they  might  have  been  intended  to  direct  men's  minds  to  God,  they 
ended  in  turning  them  from  Him  to  the  worship  of  created  things." 
—  J.  Mendham,  "The  Seventh  General  Council,  the  Second  of  Niccea," 
Introduction,  pp.  iii-vi. 

For  a  record  of  the  proceedings  and  decisions  of  the  Second  Council 
of  Nice,  A.  D.  787,  called  to  establish  the  worship  of  images,  see  Baronius, 
"Ecclesiastical  Annals,"  Vol.  IX,^  pp.  391-407  (1612  Antwerp  ed.) ; 
J.  Mendham,  "The  Seventh  General  Council,  the  Second  of.Nicsea;" 
Ed.  Stillingfleet,  "Defence  of  the  Piscourse  Concerning  the  Idolatry 
Practiced  in  the  Church  of  Korne"  (London,  1686);  "A  Select  Library 
of  Nieene  and  Post-Nicene  Fathers, ' '  second  series.  Vol.  XIV,  pp. 
521-587  (N.  Y.,  1900);  C.  J.  Ilefele,  "History  of  the  Councils  of  the 
Church,  from  the  Original  Documents,"  bk.  18,  ch.  1,  sec.  332,  333; 
ch.  2,  sec.  345-352  (T,  &  T.  piark  ed.,  1896,,  Vol.  V,  pp.  260-3(14,  342-372). 

'.'.''-    .!"■<     I  li  !■•  rii<  J    .li    .mot    '.Pif    ,^ii!;*j    .1 

Page  53.  Edict  of  Const'antine.— fhe 'law  issued  ty  Constantine 
on  the  seventh  of  March,  A.  D.  321,  regarding  a  day  of  rest,  reads  thus: 

"Let  all  judges,  and  all  city  people,  and  all  tradesmen,  rest  upon 
the  venerable  day  of  the  sun.  But  let  those  dwelling  in  the  country 
freely  and  vnth  full  liberty  attend  to  the  qulture  of  their  fields;  since 
it  frequently  happens,  that  no  other  day  is  so  i^t  for  the  sowing'  of 
grain,  or  the  planting  of  vines;  hence  the  favorable  time  should  not 
be  allowed  to  pass,  lest  the  provisions  of  heaven  be  lost." — A^  H. 
Lewis;  "History  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  Sunday,"  pp^  1S3,  1^4  (Sd 
ed.,  rev.,  1903). 

The  original  (in  the  "Codex  of  Justinian,"  lib.  3,  tit.  12,  leg.  3) 
is  quoted  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Hesscy  in  his  Bampton  Lectures  on  "Sunday," 
lecture  3,  par.  1,  and  by  Dr.  Philip  Schaff  in  his  "History  of  the 
Christian  Church,"  Vol.  Ill,  sec.  75,  par.  5,  note  1.  See  also  Mosheim, 
* '  Ecclesiastical  History, ' '  cent.  4,  part  2,  ch.  4,  sec.  5 ;  Chambers '  En- 
cyclopaedia, art.  Sabbath;  Encyclopaedia  Britanniea,  ninth  ed.,  art.  Sun- 
day; Peter  Heylyn,  "History  of  the  Sabbath,"  part  2,  ch.  3  (2d  eA.; 
rev.,  London,  1636,  pp.  66,  67).  'ji' 

:..ii  \.\A 

Page  54.  Prophetic  Dates. —  See  note  for  page  329.  ■^'■' 

Page  56.  Forged  Writings.-^  Aftiiong' thfe  'diidWmfen^s  that' "Itt"  the 
present  time  are  generally  admitted  to  be  forgeries,  the  Donation  of 
Constantine  and  the  Pseudo-Isi  dorian  Decretald'' are  of.  priniary  iiA^ 
portance.  '    ''■'•'•'   '■■'    '''    '    .v^' '|'"^'jI 

In  citing  facts  concerning  the  question,  "When  and  by  whom  was 
Constantine 's  Donation  forged  ? "  M.  Gosselin,  Director  of  the-  Seminary 
of  St.  Sulpice    (Paris),  says: 


GENERAL  NOTES  681 

"Though  this  document  is  unquestionably  spurious,  it  would  be 
difficult  to  determine  with  precision  the  date  of  its  fabrication.  M. 
de  Marca,  Muratori,  and  other  learned  critics,  are  of  the  opinion  that 
it  was  composed  in  the  eighth  century,  before  the  reign  of  Charlemagne. 
Muratori,  moreover,  thinks  it  probable  that  it  may  have  induced  that 
monarch  and  Pepin  to  be  so  generous  to  the  Holy  See. ' ' —  Gosselin, 
"The  Potver  of  the  Pope  during  the  Middle  Ages,"  Vol,  I,  p.  321 
(translated  by  the  Rev.  Matthew  Kelly,  St.  Patrick's  College,  May- 
nooth;  Baltimore,  ,T.  Murphy  &  Co.,  1853). 

On  the  date  of  the  Pseudo-Isidorian  Decretals,  see  Mosheim,  "Ec- 
clesiastical History,"  bk.  3,  cent.  9,  part  2,  ch.  2,  sec.  8.  As  Dr. 
Murdock,  the  translator,  points  out  in  a  foot-note,  the  learned  Catholic 
historian,  M,  L'Abbe  Fleury,  in  his  "Ecclesiastical  History."  (diss. 
4,  sec.  1),  says  of  these  decretals,  that  "they  crept  to  light  near  the 
close  of  the  eighth  century. ' '  Fleury,  writing  near  the  close  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  says  further  that  these  ' '  false  decretals  were  looked 
upon  as  authentic  for  the  space  of  eight  hundred  years;  and  it  was 
with  much  difficulty  that  tliey  were  given  up  in  the  last  century.  It 
is  true  that  at  present  there  are  hardly  any,  though  meanly  instructed 
in  these  matters,  :who  do  not  acknowledge  that  these  decretals  are 
false." — Fleury,  "Ecclesiastical  History,"  hJc.  44,  par.  54  (G.  Adam's 
translation,  London,  1732,  Vol.  V,  p.  196).  See  also  Gibbon,  "Decline 
audi  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  "ch.  49,  par.  16. 

Page  57.  Dictates  of  Hildebrand  (Gregory  VTI.). —  See  Baronius, 
"Ecclesiastical  Annals,"  An.  107d  (Antwerp  ed.,  1608,  Vol.  XI,  page 
479).  A  copy  of  the  "Dictates,"  in  the  original,  may  also  be  found 
in  Gieseler,  "Ecclesiastical  History,"  period  3,  sec.  47,  note  4  (ed. 
1836,  tr.  by  F.  Cunningham).  An  English  ti-anslation  is  given  in  Mos- 
heim, "Ecclesiastical  History,"  bk.  3,  cent.  11,  part  2,  ch.  2,  sec.  9, 
note  8  (Soames'  ed.,  tr.  by  Murdock). 

Page  59.  Purgatory. —  Dr.  Joseph  Faa  Di  Bruno  thus  defines  pur- 
gatory: "Purgatory  is  a  state  of  suffering  after  this  life,  in  which 
those  souls  are  for  a  time  detained,  who  depart  this  life  after  their 
deadly  sins  have  been  remitted  as  to  the  stain  and  guilt,  and  as  to 
the  everlasting  pain  that  waa  due  to  them;  but  who  have  on  account 
of  those  sins  still  some  debt  of  temporal  punishment  to  pay;  as  also 
those  souls  which  leave  this  world  guilty  only  of  venial  &inii."-r-" Cath- 
olic Belief,"  page  196  (ed.  1884;  imprimateur  Archbishop  of  New 
York). 

See  also  K.  R.  Hagenbach,  "Compendium  of  the  History  of  Doc- 
trines," Vol.  I,  pp.  234-237,  405,  408;  Vol.  II,  pp.  135-150,  308,  309 
(T.  &  T.  Clark  ed.) ;  Ghas.  Elliott,  "Delineation  of  Roman  Catholi- 
cism," bk.  2,  ch.  12;   Catholic  Encyclopft'dia,  art.  Purgatory. 


eM  APPENDIX 

Page  59.  Indulgences. —  For  a  detailed  history  of  the  doctrine  of 
indulgences,  see  the  Catholic  Encyclopaedia,  art.  Indulgences  (contrib- 
uted by  W.  H.  Kent,  O.  S.  C,  of  Bayswater,  London)  ;  Carl  Ullmann, 
"Reformers  before  the  Eef ormation, "  Vol.  I,  bk.  2,  part  1,  ch.  2; 
M.  Creighton,  "History  of  the  Papacy,"  Vol.  V,  pp.  56-64,  71; 
L.  von  Ranke,  "History  of  the  Reformation  in  Germany,"  bk.  2,  ch.  1, 
par.  131,  132,  139-142,  153-155  (2d  London  ed.,  1845,  tr.  by  S.  Austin, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  331,  335-337,  343-346);  Chas.  Elliott,  "Delineation  of 
Roman  Catholicism,"  bk.  2,  ch.  13;  H.  C.  Lea,  "A  History  of  Auricular 
Confession  and  Indulgences ;  "  G.  P.  Fisher,  ' '  The  Reformation, ' '  ch. 
4,  par.   7. 

On  the  practical  outworkings  of  the  doctrine  of  indulgences  during 
the  period  of  the  Reformation,  see  a  paper  by  Dr.  H.  C.  Lea,  entitled, 
"Indulgences  in  Spain,"  published  in  "Papers  of  the  American  Society 
of  Church  History,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  129-171.  Of  the  value  of  this  historical 
sidelight.  Dr.  Lea  says,  in  his  opening  paragraph:  "Unvexed  by  the 
controversy  which  raged  between  Luther  and  Dr.  Eck  and  Silvester 
Prierias,  Spain  continued  tranquilly  to  follow  in  the  old  and  beaten 
path,  and  furnishes  us  with  the  incontestable  official  documents  which 
enable  us  to  examine  the  matter  in  the  pure  light  of  history." 

Page  59.  The  Ma.«;s. —  On  the  doctrine  of  the  mass,  see  Cardinal 
Vv'iseman's  work,  "The  Real  Presence  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist ;  ' '  also  Catholic  Encyclo- 
paedia, art.  Eucharist  (contributed  by  J.  Pohle,  S.  T.  D.,  Breslau)  ; 
"Canons  and  Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Trent,"  sess.  13,  ch.  1-8 
(London  ed.,  1851,  tr.  by  T.  A.  Buckley,  pp.  70-79)  ;  K.  R.  Hagenbach, 
"Compendium  of  the  History  of  Doctrines,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  214-223, 
393-398,  and  Vol.  II,  pp.  88-114;  J.  Calvin,  "Institutes,"  bk.  4, 
ch.  17,  18;  R.  Hooker,  "Ecclesiastical  Polity,"  bk.  5,  ch.  67;  Chas. 
Elliott,  "Delineation  of  Roman  Catholicism,"  bk.  2,  ch.  4,  5. 

Page  65.  Wat.densian  Versions  of  the  Bible. —  On  early  Wal- 
densian  translations  of  portions  of  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the 
common  people,  see  Townley,  "Illustrations  of  Biblical  Literature," 
Vol.  I,  ch.  10,  par.  1-13;  E.  Petavcl,  "The  Bible  in  France,"  ch.  2, 
par.  3,  4,  8-10,  13,  21  (Paris  ed.,  1864);  G.  H.  Putnam,  "The  Censor- 
ship of  the  Church  of  Rome,"  Vol.  II,  ch.  2. 

Page  77.  Edict  Against  the  Waldenses. —  A  considerable  portion 
of  the  text  of  the  papal  bull  issued  by  Innocent  VIII.  in  1487  against 
the  Waldenses  (the  original  of  which  is  in  the  library  of  the  University 
of  Cambridge)  is  given,  in  an  English  translation,  in  Dowling's  "His- 
tory of  Romanism,"  bk.   6,  ch.   5,   sec.   62    (ed.   1871).  ■  - 


GENERAL  NOTES  683 

Page  84.  Indulgences. —  See   note    for   page   59. 

Page  85.  Wycliffe. —  For  the  original  text  of  the  papal  bulls  issued 
against  Wycliffe,  with  an  English  translation,  see  J.  Foxe,  "Acts  and 
Monuments,"  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  4-13  (Pratt-Townsend  ed.,  London,  1870). 
See  also  J.  Lewis,  "Life  of  Wiclif,"  pp.  49-51,  305-314  (ed.  1820); 
Lechler,  "John  Wycliffe  and  His  English  Precursors,"  ch.  5,  sec.  2 
(pp.  162-164,  London  ed.,  1884,  tr.  by  Loriraer)  ;  A.  Neander,  "General 
History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  period  G,  sec.  2,  part  1,  par.  8. 

Page  8G.  Infallibility. —  On  the  doctrine  of  Infallibility,  see  Cath- 
olic Encyclopaedia,  art.  Infallibility  (contributed  by  P.  J.  Turner, 
S.  T.  D.);  Geo.  Salmon,  "The  Infallibility  of  the  Church;"  Chas. 
Elliott,  "Delineation  of  Eoman  Catholicism,"  bk.  1,  ch.  4;  Cardinal 
Gibbous,  "The  Faith  of  Our  Fathers,"  ch.   7    (49th  ed.,  1897). 

Page  103.  Indulgences. —  See    note    for   page   59. 

Page  104.  Council  of  Constance. —  On  the  calling  of  the  Council 
of  Constance  by  Pope  John  XXIIL,  at  the  instance  of  the  emperoi 
Sigismund,  see  Mosheim,  ' '  Ecclesiastical  History, ' '  bk.  3,  cent.  15, 
part  2,  ch.  2,  sec.  3;  J.  Dowling,  "History  of  Romanism,"  bk.  6,  ch.  2, 
par.  13;  A.  Bower,  "History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  VII,  pp.  141-143 
(London  ed.,  1766);  Neander,  "History  of  the  Christian  Religion  and 
Church,"  period  6,  sec.  1  (1854,  5-vol.  ed.,  tr.  by  Torrey,  Vol.  V, 
pp.  94-101). 

Page  128.  Indulgences. —  See  note  for  page  59. 

Page  234.  Jesuitism. —  For  a  statement  concerning  the  origin,  the 
principles,  and  the  purposes  of  the  "Society  of  Jesus,"  as  outlined 
by  members  of  this  Order,  see  a  work  entitled  * '  Concerning  Jesuits, ' ' 
edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Gerard,  S.  J.,  and  published  in  London,  1902, 
by  the  Catholic  Trutli  Society.  In  this  work  it  is  said  that  "the  main- 
spring of  the  whole  organizatioTi  of  the  Society  is  a  spirit  of  entire 
obedience:  'Let  each  one,'  writes  St.  Ignatius,  'persuade  himself  that 
those  who  live  under  obedience  ought  to  allow  themselves  to  be  moved 
&nd  directed  by  divine  Providence  through  their  superiors,  just  as  though 
they  were  a  dead  body,  which  allows  itself  to  be  carried  anywhere  and 
to  be  treated  in  any  manner  whatever,  or  as  an  old  man's  staff,  which 
serves  him  who  holds  it  in  his  hand  in  whatsoever  way  he  Mill. ' 

"This  absolute  submission  is  ennobled  by  its  motive,  and  should  be, 
continues  the  .  .  .  founder,  'prompt,  joyous,  and  persevering;  .  .  . 
the  obedient  religious  accomplishes  joyfully  that  which  his  superiors 
have   confided    to   him   for   the    general    good,    assured    that   thereby   he 


684  APPENDIX 

corresponds  truly  with  the  divine  will. '  ' ' —  The  Comtesse  i?.  de  Courson, 
in  ' '  Concerning  Jesuits, "  p.   6. 

See  also  L.  E.  Dupin,  "A  Compendibns  History  of  the  Church," 
cent.  16,  ch.  33  (London  ed.,  1713',  Vol.  IV,  pjj.  132-135) ;  Mosheim, 
"Ecclesiastical  History,"  cent.  16,  see.  3,  part  1,'  ch.  1,  par.  10  (includ- 
ing notes  5,  6);  Encyclopgedia  Britannica  (ninth  ed.),  art.  Jesuits; 
C.  Paroissien,  ' '  The  Principles  of  the  Jesuits,  Developed  in  a  Collection 
of  Extracts  from  Their  Own  Authors"  (London,  1860  —  an  earlier 
edition  appeared  in  1839);  W.  C.  Cartwright,  "The  Jesiiits,  Their 
Constitution  and,  Teaching"  (London,  1876) ;  E.  L.  Taunton,  '/The 
History  of  tlie  Jesuits  in  England,  1580-1773 "   [Ldndon,  1901), 

Page  23.5.  The  Inquisition. —  See  Catholic  Eli'^Jrclopfydia,  Sifi  Ttiqui- 
sition  (contributed  by  J.  Blotzer,  S.  J.,  Munich)  ;  H.  C.  Lea,  "History  of 
the  Inquisition  in  the  Middle  Ages;"  Limborch,  "History  of  the  Inqui- 
sition," Vol.  f,  bk.  1,  ch.  L'5,  27-31  (London  ed.,  1731,  tr.  by  S.  Chandler, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  131-142,  144-161);  L.  von  Ranke,  "History  of  the  Popes," 
bk.    2,    ch.    6. 

Page  265.  Causes  of  the  Fre\'Ch  Eevolution.— ^  On  the  far-reach- 
ihg  consequences  of  the  rejection  of  the  Bible, '  an<3  "of  iBible  religidn, 
by  the  people  of  France,  see  H.  von  Sybel,  ' '  liistory  '  of  the  Frfeiicli 
Revolution,"  bk.  5,  ch.  1,  par.  3-7;  H.  T.  Buckte,  "History  of  Civiliza- 
tion  in  England,"  ch.  8,  12  (N.  Y.  ed.,  1895,  Vol.  I,  pp.  364-366, 
369-371,  437,  550,  540,  541);  Blaclwood's  Magazine,  Vol.  XXXIV, 
No.  215  (November,  1833,  p.  739);  J.  G.  Lorimer,  " An  Historical 
Sketch  of  the  Protestant  Church  in  France, ' '  ch.  8,  par.  6,  7. 

Page  266.  Prophetic  Dates. —  See  note  for  page  329. 

Page  267.  Efforts  to  Suppress  and' Destroy  the  Bible. —  Refer- 
ring to  the  long-continued  efforts  in  France  to  Suppress  the  Bible  -r 
particularly  versions  in  the  language  of  the  common  people,  Gausseri 
says:  "The  decree  of  Toulouse,  1229,"  which  established  the  "tribunal 
of  the  Inquisition  against  all  the  readers  of  the  Bible  in  the  vulgar 
tongue,  .  .  .  was  an  edict  of  fire,  bloodshed,  and  devastation.  In  its 
3d,  4th,  5th,  and  6th  chapters,  it  ordained  the  entire  destruction  of  the 
houses,  the  humblest  places  of  concealment,  and  even  the  subterranean 
retreats  of '  men  convicted  of  possessing  the  Scriptures ;  that  they  shoula 
be  pursued  to  the  forests  and  caves  of  the  earth ;  and  that  even  those 
who  harbored  them  should  be  severely  punished."  As  a  result,  the 
Bible  "was  everywhere  prohibited;  it  vanished,  as  it  were,  underground; 
it  descended  into  the  tomb. ' '  These  decrees  were  ' '  followed  for  five 
hundred  years  by  innumerable  punishments,  in  which  the  blood  of  the 
saints  flowed  like  water." — L.  (iaassen,  "  The  Canon  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 


GENERAL  NOTES  685 

tures,"  part  S,  hlc.  2,  cJii  7,  sec.  5,  prop.  561;  and  ch.  13,  sec.  2,  prop. 
641,  par.  S. 

On  the  special  efforts  made  to  destroy  Bibles  during  the  Eeign  of 
Terror,  late  in  1793,  Dr.  Lorimer  says:  "Wherever  a  Bible  could  be 
found  it  might  be  said  to  be  persecuted  to  death;  so  much  so,  that 
several  '  respectable  commentators  interpret  the  slaying  of  the  two 
witnesses  in  the  eleventh  <*hapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  of  the  general 
suppression,  'nay,  destriictiohj  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  in  France 
at  this  period."- — J.  G.  Lorimer,  "An  Historical  SletcJi  of  the  i'rot- 
estant  ChurcJi  in  France,"  ch.  8,  par.  4,  5. 

See  also  G.' P.  Fisher,  "The  Eeformation,"  eh.  15,  par.  16;  E. 
Petavel,  "The  Bible  in  France,"  ch.  2,  par.  3,  8-10,  13,  21  (Paris  ed., 
1864);'  G.  H.  Putnam,  " The  Censorship  of  the  Church  of  Eome," 
tol.'I,  eh.  4'  (1906  ed.,  pp.  97,  99,  101,  102);  Vol.  II,  ch.  2  tpp.'i5-19)'; 
S.  Smiles^  "The'  Huguenots:  Their  Settlements,  Churches,  and  In- 
dustries," etc.,  ch.  1,  par.  32,  34;  ch.  2,  par.  6;  eh.  3,  pan  1'4;  cti.  18) 
par.  5  (with  note);  S.  Smiles,  "The  Huguenots  in  France  after  the 
Revocation,  "eh.  2,  par.  8;  ch.  10,  par.  30;  ch.  12,  par.  2-4;  J.  A.  Wylie, 
"History  of  Protestantism',' "'bk.  22,  ch.   6,  par.   3. 

Page  276.  The  Reign  of  Terror. —  On  the  responsibility  of  mis- 
guided leaders,  in  both  church  and  state,  and  particularly  in  the  church, 
for  the  scenes  of  the  French  Revolution,  see  W.  M.  Sloane,  ' '  The  French 
Revolution  and  Religious  Reform,"  Preface,  and  ch.  2,  par.  1,  2,  10-14 
(1901  ed.,  pp.  vii-ix,  19,  20,  26-31,  40);  P.  Schaff,  in  "Papers  of  the 
American  Society  of  Church  History,"  Vol.  I,  pp.  38,  44;  S.  Smiles, 
"The  Huguenots  after  the  Revocation,"  ch.  18,  par.  4,  6,  9,  10,  12-16, 
27;  J.  G.  Lorimer,  "An  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Protestant  Church  of 
Prance,"  ch.  8,  par.  6,  7;  A.  Galton,  "Church  and  State  in  France, 
1300-1907,  "ch.  3,  sec.  2  (Lotldon  ed.,  1907) ;  Sir  J.  Stephen,  "Lectures 
on  the  History  of  France,"  lecture  16,  par.  60.  ' 

'.go     - .      «t 

Page  280.  The  Masses  and  the  Privileged  Classes. — ■  On  ^ Social 
conditions  prevailing  in  France  prior  to  the  period  of  the  Revolution, 
see  H.  von  Hoist,  "Lowell  Lectures  on  the' French  Revolution,"  lecture 
1;  also  Taine,  "Ancient  Regime,"  and  A.  Young,  "Travels  in  France." 

Page  283.  Retribution. —  For  further  details  concerning  tlie  retril^- 
utive  character  of  the  French  Revolution,  see  Thos.  H.  Gill,  "The 
Papal  Drama,"  bk..  10;  E.  de  Pressense,  "The  Church  and  the  French 
Revolution,"  bk.  3,  eh.  1. 

Page  284.  The  Atrocities  of  the  Reign  of  Terror, —  See  M.  A, 
Thiers,  "History  of  the  French  Revolution,"  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  42-44,  62-74, 
106   (N.  Y.  ed.,  1890,  tr.  by  F.  Shoberl) ;   F.  A.  Miguet,  "History  of 


686  APPENDIX 

the  French  Eevolution, "  ch.  9,  par.  1  (Bohn  ed.,  1894);  A,  Alison, 
"History  of  Europe,"  1789-1815,  Vol.  I,  ch.  14  (N.  Y.  ed.,  1872, 
ypl„j:,,pp.  293-312). 

Page  287.  The  Circulation  of  the  Scriptures. —  In  1804,  according 
to  Mr.  William  Canton,  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
"ail  the  Bibles  extant  in  the  world,  in  manuscript  or  in  print,  counting 
every  version  in  every  land,  were  computed  at  not  many  more  than  four 
millions.  .  <  .  The  various  languages  in  which  those  four  millions  were 
written,  including  such  bygone  speech  as  the  Moeso-Gothic  of  Ulfilas 
and  the  Anglo-Saxon  of  Bede,  are  set  down  as  numbering  about  fifty." 
—"What  Is  the  Bible  Society?"  p.  23   (rev.  ed.,  J 904). 

A  hundred  years  later,  at  the  close  of  its  first  centenary,  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  was  able  to  report  a  total  distribution  of 
Bibles,  Testaments,  or  portions  thereof,  by  that  society  alone,  to  the 
number  of  186,680,101  —  a  total  that,  in  1910,  had  grown  to  upwards 
of  220,000,000  copies,  in  nearly  four  hundred  distinct  tongues. 

To  these  totals  must  be  added  the  millions  of  copies  of  the  Scriptures 
or  portions  thereof,  in  many  languages,  distributed  by  other  Bible 
societies  and  by  various  commercial  agencies.  The  American  Bible 
Society, —  the  greatest  of  the  daughters  of  the  British  parent  society, — 
during  the  first  ninety-four  years  of  its  work,  reported  a  total  dis- 
tribution of  87,296,182  copies.  (See  Bible  Society  Record,  June,  1910.) 
According  to  conservative  estimates,  about  six  million  copies  of  the 
Bible  are  printed  annually  by  commercial  houses,  which,  added  to  the 
combined  output  of  the  Bible  societies,  gives  a  total  yearly  circulation 
of  more  than  fifteen  million  copies. 

The  Scriptures,  in  whole  or  in  part,  have  been  printed  in  more 
than  five  hundred  distinct  tongues;  and  the  work  of  translation  into 
new  languages  and  dialects  is  still  carried  forward  with  unflagging 
zeal. 

Page  288.  FoREiGx  Missions. —  Dr.  G.  P.  Fisher,  in  a  chapter  on 
"Christian  Missions"  in  his  "History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  out- 
lines the  beginnings  of  the  missionary  movement,  wiiich,  in  "the  later 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century,  ushered  in  a  brilliant  era  of  missionary 
acti\'ity,  an  era  which,  in  the  history  of  missions,  is  only  less  remarkable 
than  the  first  of  the  Christian  ages."  In  1792,  "the  Baptist  society 
was  founded,  with  Carey  as  one  of  its  first  missionaries.  Carey  sailed 
for  India,  and  there,  with  the  help  of  other  members  of  the  same 
society,  founded  the  mission  of  Serampore. "  In  1795,  the  London 
Missionary  Society  was  founded;  in  1799,  there  was  formed  "the 
organization  which  in  1812  became  the  Church  Missionaiy  Society." 
Soon  afterward,  the  Wesleyau  Missionary  Society  was  founded. 


GENERAL  NOTES  687 

"While  the  missionary  acti\'ity  was  growing  tip  in  Great  Britain, 
the  Christians  of  America  were  becoming  animated  with  a  like  zeal." 
In  1812,  they  founded  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions;  and  in  1814,  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 
Adoniram  Judson,  one  of  the  first  missionaries  to  go  out  from  America, 
sailed  for  Calcutta  in  1812,  and  reached  Burmah  in  July,  1813.  In  1837, 
the  Presbyterian  Board  was  formed.  (See  Fisher,  "History  of  the 
Christian  Church,"   period   9,   ch.   7,  par.   3-25.) 

Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson,  in  an  article  published  in  the  Missionary  Review 
of  the  World  for  January,  1910,  declares:  "A  half -century  ago,  China 
and  Manchuria,  Japan  and  Korea,  Turkey  and  Arabia,  and  even  the 
vast  continent  of  Africa,  were  sleeping  —  hermit  nations,  locked  in  the 
cell  of  long  seclusion  and  exclusion.  Central  Asia  was  comparatively 
unexplored,  as  was  Central  Africa.  In  many  lands,  Satan's  long 
occupation  was  undisputed  and  his  empire  unmolested.  Papal  countries 
were  as  intolerant  as  pagan;  Italy  and  Spain  imprisoned  a  man  for 
daring  to  sell  a  Bible,  or  preach  the  gosj)el.  Prance  was  practically 
infidel,  and  Germany  permeated  with  rationalism;  and  over  a  large  part 
of  the  mission  field,  the  doors  were  shut  and  locked  by  a  more  or  lese 
rigid  exclusion  and  caste  system.  Now  the  changes,  on  every  side, 
are  so  remarkable  and  so  radical  that,  to  one  who  should  suddenly  come 
out  of  this  middle  period  of  the  last  century,  .  .  .  the  world  would 
be  unrecognizable.  He  who  holds  the  keys  of  the  tWo-leaved  gates  has 
been  unlocking  them,  opening  up  all  lands  to  the  Messenger  of  the 
Cross.  Even  in  the  Eternal  City,  where,  a  half-century  ago,  a  -visitor  had 
to  leave  his  Bible  outside  the  walls,  there  are  Protestant  chapels  by  the 
score,  and  a  free  circulation  of  the  Scriptures. ' ' 

Page  327.  Prophetic  Dates. —  See  note  for  page  329. 

Page  329.  Prophetic  Dates. —  The  historical  and  chronological 
facts  connected  with  the  prophetic  periods  of  Daniel  8  and  9,  including 
many  e\idences  pointing  unmistakably  to  the  year  457  B.  c.  as  the  proper 
time  from  which  to  begin  reckoning  these  periods,  have  been  clearly 
outlined  by  many  students  of  prophecy.  See  Stanley  Leathes,  "Old 
Testament  Prophecy,"  lectures  10,  11  (Warburton  Lectures  for  1876- 
1880);  W.  Goode,  "Fulfilled  Prophecy,"  sermon  10,  including  Note  A 
(Warburton  Lectures  for  1854-1858);  A.  Thorn,  "Chronology  of  Proph- 
ecy," pp.  26-106  (London  ed.,  1848);  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  "Observa- 
tions upon  the  Prophecies  of  Daniel,  and  the  Apocalypse  of  St.  John," 
ch.  10  (London  ed.,  173.3,  pp.  128-143);  Uriah  Smith,  "Thoughts  on 
Daniel  and  the  Revelation,"  part  1,  ch.  8,  9.  On  the  date  of  the 
crucifixion,  see  Wm.  Hales,  "Analysis  of  Chronology,"  Vol.  I,  pp. 
94-101;  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  164-258   (2d  London  ed.,  1830). 


6S8  APPENDIX 

Page  335.  Fall  op  the  Ottoman  Empire. —  For  further  details  as 
to  the  predicted  fall  of  the  Ottoman  empire  during  the  month  of  August, 
1840,  see  J.  Litch,  ' '  The  Probability  of  the  Second  Coming  of  Glirist 
about  A.  D.  1843"  (published  in  June,  1838)  ;  J.  Litch,  "An  Address  ti 
the  Clergy"  (published  in  the  spring  of  1840;  a  second  edition,  with 
historical  data  in  support  of  the  accuracy  of  former  calculations  of  the 
prophetic  period  extending  to  the  fall  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  was  pub-' 
iished  in  1841);  the  Advent  Shield  and  Review,  Vol.  I  (1844),  No.  1, 
article  2,  pp.  56,  57,  59-61;  J.  N.  Loughborough,  "The  Great  Advent 
Movement,"  pp.  129-132  (1905  ed.) ;  J.  Litch,  article  in  Signs  of  the 
Times,  and  Expositor  of  Prophecy,  Aug.  1,  1840.  See  also  article  in 
Signs  of  the  Times,  and  Expositor  of  Prophecy,  Feb.  1,  1841. 

Page  340.  Withholding  the  Bible  from  the  People. —  On  the  atti- 
tude of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  toward  the  circulation  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  in  vernacular  versions,  among  the  laity,  see  Catholic  En- 
cyclopaedia, art.  Bible ;  also  G.  P.  Fisher,  ' '  The  Reformation, ' '  ch.  15, 
par.  16  (1873  ed.,  pp.  530-532);  J.  Cardinal  Gibbons,  "The  Faith  of 
Our  Fathers,"  ch.  8  (49th  ed.,  1897,  pp.  98-117);  J.  Dowling,  '< History 
of  Romanism,"  b.  7,  ch.  2,  sec.  14,  and  b.  9,  ch.  3,  see.  24-27  (1871 
ed.,  pp.  491-496,  621-625);  L.  F.  Bungener,  "History  of  the  Council 
of  Trent,"  pp.  101-110  (2d  Edinburgh  ed.,  1853,  tr.  by  D.  D.  Scott); 
G.  H.  Putnam,  "Books  and  Their  Makers  during  the  Middle  Ages," 
Vol.  I,  part  2,  ch.  2,  par.  49,  54-56. 

11  ) 

Page  373.  Ascension  Robes. —  The  story  that  the  Adventists  m^dc? 
robes  with  which  to  ascend  ' '  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air, ' '  was  invented 
by  those  who  wished  to  re])roach  the  cause.  It  was  circulated  so 
industriously  that  many  believed  it;  but  careful  inquiry  proved  its 
falsity.  For  many  years  a  large  reward  has  been  offered  for  proof  that 
one  such  instance  ever  occurred,  but  the  proof  has  not  been  produced. 
None  who  loved  the  appearing  of  the  Saviour  were  so  ignorant  of  the 
teachings  of  the  Scriptures  as  to  suppose  that  robes  which  they  could 
make  would  be  necessary  for  that  occasion.  The  only  robe  which  the 
saints  will  need  to  meet  the  Lord  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  See, 
Rev.  19:8.  ,     '"'  .[.^ 

"Page  374.  THE  CHRONOLOGY  OF  Prophecy. —  Dr.  Geo.  Bush,  Pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  and  Oriental  Literature  in  the  New  York  City 
University,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  Miller,  and  published  in  the 
Advent  Herald,  and  Signs  of  the  Times  Reporter,  Boston,  March  6i 
and  13,  1844,  made  some  important  admissions  relative  to  his  calculation 
of  the  prophetic  times.     Mr.  Bush  wrote: 

"Neither  is  it  to  be  objected,  as  I  conceive,  to  yourself  or  your 
friends,  that  you  have  devoted  much  time  and  attention  to  the  study 


GENERAL  NOTES  689 

of  the  chronology  of  prophecy,  and  have  labored  much  to  determine  the 
commencing  and  closing  dates  of  its  great  i)eriod8.  If  these  periods 
are  actually  given  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  prophetic  books,  it  was 
doubtless  with  the  design  that  they  should  be  studied,  and  probably, 
in  the  iend,  fully  understood;  aad  no  man  is  to  be  charged  with  pre- 
sumptuous f  oily ;  who  reverently  makes  the  attempt  to  do  this.  .  .  . 
In  taking  a  day  as  the  prophetical  term  for  a  year,  I  believe  yon  are 
sustained  by  the  soundest  exegesis,  as  well  as  fortified  by  the  high 
names  of  Mede,  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  Kirby,  Scott,  Keith,  and  a  host 
of  others,  who  have  long  since  come  to  substantially  your  conclusions 
on  this  head.  They  all  agree  that  the  leading  periods  mentioned  by 
Daniel  and  John  do  actually  expire  about  this  age  of  the  world,  and  it 
wotild  be'  a  strange  logic  that  would  convict  you  of  heresy  for  holding 
in  effect'  the  same  vieM's  which  stand  forth  so  prominently  in  the  notices 
of  those  eminent  divines."  "Your  results  in  this  field  of  inquiry  do 
not  strike  me  as  so  far  out  of  the  way  as  to  affect  any  of  the  great 
interests  of  truth  and  duty."  "Your  error,  as  I  apprehend,  lies  in 
another  direction  than  your  chronology."  "You  have  entirely  mistaken 
thie  nature  of  the  events  which  are  to  occur  when  those  periods  have 
expired.      This   is  the  head   and    front   of  your  expository   offending." 

Page  399.  Prophetic  Dates. —  See  note   for  page  329. 

Page  435.  A  Threefold  Message. —  Rev.  14:6,  7,  foretells  the 
proclamation  of  the  first  angel's  message.  Then  the  prophet  continues: 
"There  followed  another  angel,  saj'ing,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen, 
.  .  .  and  the  third  angel  followed  them."  The  word  here  rendered 
"followed,"  means,  in  constructions  like  that  in  this  text,  "to  go 
with. ' '  Liddell  and  Scott  render  the  word  thus :  "To  follow  one,  go 
after  or  with  him."  Robinson  says:  "To  follow,  to  go  with,  to 
accompany  any  one. "  It  is  the  same  word  that  is  used  in  Mark  5 :  24 : 
"Jesus  went  with  him;  and  much  people  followed  Him,  and  thronged 
Him. "  It  is  also  used  of  the  redeemed  one  hundred  and  forty-four 
thousand,  where  it  is  said,  "These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  He  gocth. "  Rev.  14:4.  In  both  these  places  it  is 
evident  that  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  is  that  of  going  together, 
in  company  with.  So  in  1  Cor.  10:4,  where  we  read  of  the  children 
of  Israel  that  "they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them," 
the  word  "followed"  is  translated  from  the  same  Greek  word,  and  the 
margin  has  it,  ' '  went  with  them. ' '  From  this  we  learn  that  the  idea 
in  Rev.  14:8,  9,  is  not  simply  that  the  second  and  third  angels  followed 
the  first  in  point  of  time,  but  that  they  went  with  him.  The  three 
messages  are  but  one  threefold  message.  They  are  three  only  in  the 
order  of  their  rise.  But  having  risen,  they  go  on  together,  and  are 
inseparable. 


690  APPENDIX 

Page  447.  Supremacy  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome. —  Some  of  the 
leading  circumstances  connected  with  the  assumption  of  supremacy 
by  the  bishops  of  Eonie,  are  outlined  in  Mosheim  's  ' '  Ecclesiastical 
History,"  cent.  2,  part  2,  ch.  4,  sec.  9-11.  See  also  G.  P.  Fisher, 
"History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  period  2,  ch.  2,  par.  11-17  (1890 
ed.,  pp.  56-58);  Gieseler,  "Ecclesiastical  History,"  period  1,  div.  3, 
ch.  4,  sec.  66,  par.  3,  including  note  8  (N,  Y.  ed.,  1836,  tr.  by  F. 
Cunningham)  ;  J.  N.  Andrews,  ' '  History  of  the  Sabbath, ' '  pp.  276-279 
(3d  ed.,  rev.). 

Page  574.  Edict  of  Constantine. —  See  note  for  page  53. 

Page  578.  The  Abyssinian  Church. —  On  the  observance  of  the 
Bible  Sabbath  in  Abyssinia,  see  Dean  A.  P.  Stanley,  "Lectures  on 
the  History  of  the  Eastern  Church,"  lecture  1,  par.  15  (N.  Y.  ed., 
1862,  pp.  96,  97);  Michael  Geddea,  "Church  History  of  Ethiopia," 
pp.  87,  88,  311,  312;  Gibbon,  "Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire," 
ch.  47,  par.  37-39;  Samuel  Gobat,  "Journal  of  Three  Years'  Residence 
in  Abyssinia,"  pp.  55-58,  83,  93,  97,  98  (N.  Y.  ed.,  1850);  A.  H. 
Lewis,  "A  Critical  History  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  Sunday  in  taa 
Christian  Church,"  pp.  208-215   (2d  ed.,  rev.). 

Page  581.  Dictates  of  Hildebrand. —  See  note  for  page  57. 


Index  of  Scripture  References 


GENESIS 

1:2 658 

2:1-3 455 

2:  2,  3 52 

3:1 531 

3:2-5 532 

3:  4,  5 561 

3:5 554 

3:  15 505 

3:  19 532 

3:  24 534 

6:  5,  11 543 

15  :  1 86 

22:9,1618 18 

?8:  12 ,.  .  19 

32:  24-30 616 

32:  30 622 

EXODUS 

5:2 269 

20:  8-11 434 

20:  10,  11 437 

25:  8 411 

25:  9,  40 413 

31:  17 437 

32:  33 483 

34:  6 19 

84:  6,  7  .  .  .500,  541,  627 

LEVITICUS 

10:  17 418 

16:  8,  21,  22 419 

16:  16,  19 419 

16:  17 428 

16:  21 658 

16:  22 485 

16:  29-84 400 

17:  11 418 

19:  31 556 

20:  27 656 

NUMBERS 

14:  34 324 

23:  8,  10,  20,  21,  23  529 

24:  9 529 

25:  13 556 


DEUTERONOMY 

4:  6 230 

28:  5G,  57 .  :  .  .,      32 

29:  29 ::':::  ^  324 

30:  15 .    544 

II  SAMUEL 
13:  39 537 

I  KINGS 
18:  17 104 


18:  17,  li 


w:r-i^^° 


II  KINGS 

6:  17 208 

19:  35 512 

I  CHRONICLES 

21: 19 

28:  12,  19 23 

II  CHRONICLES 

32:  21 512 

36:  16,  15 19 

EZRA 

3:  12 24 

7:  12-26 326 

NEHEMIAH 

4:  10,  14 56 

8:  10 477 

13:  14 481 

JOB 

1:6 518 

1:  9,  10 513 

9:2 254 

11:  7 344 

14:  10-12 550 

14:  21 550 

19:  25-27 299 

38:  6,  7 455 

38:  7 511 

42:  6 471 


PSALMS 

1:  1-3 478 

6:5 546 

8:5 511 

9:  5,  6 545 

11:  6 672 

14:  1 275 

16:  4 310 

19:  7 463 

25:  14  .' 312 

27:  5 634 

30:  5 350 

34:  7 513,  632 

37:  10 545 

37:  29 674 

37:  38 541 

40:  8 466 

46:  1-3 639 

48:  2 17 

50:  2-4 300 

50:3,  4 642 

50:  6 039,  650 

51:  17 484 

53:  5 117 

56:  8 481 

73:  11 274 

76:  2 23 

78:  68,  69 23 

80:  8 19 

84:  11 673 

90:  2 479 

91:  3-10 630 

95:  0 437 

96:  5 437 

96:  11,  13 300 

97:  11 522 

100:  3 437 

103:  19-21 512 

106:  28 556 

109:  5 20 

111:  7,  8 288,434 

112:  4 346 

115:  17 546 

119:  11  .  .  .     opo 

119:  18 ...ti.i,  (KM) 

119:  45 4fie 

(691) 


692 


INDEX   OF  SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES 


119:  46 207 

119:  89 434 

119:  97  ^......  .,.,  .  468 

119: 99,  104  . .. .  .  .  602 

119:  105 267 

119:  130  .  ..94,  195,  320 

119:  142,  172 467 

121:  5-7 630 

132:  13 19 

139:  12 346 

145:  10 671 

145:  20 541 

146:  4 545 

PROVERBS 

1:  24,  25 642 

!;^1:  27 644 

1:  29.  31 286 

1 :  33 285 

3:  13 602 

3:  14 312 

4:  18 476 

11:  31 673 

14:  84 277 

16:  12 277 

16:  25 597 

28:  9 43|S 

28:  13 489 

ECCLESIASTES 

8:  1113 286 

8:  12,  13 540 

9:  5,  6,  10 546 

10:  16 165 

12:  6 550 

12:  13 ;...,...  436 

42:  13,  14 482 

12;  14 481 

''■■   CANTICLES 

6:  10 425 

;  :.     ISAIAH 

"2:  10-12,  20,  21.  .  ,  638 

'  3:  10,  11 540 

4:  2,  3 485 

5:1-4 20 

5:  20 557 

'6:3,5 471 

8:  16,  20 452 

8:  19,  20 559 

8:  20 .  593 

9:  5 37,  642,  672 

11:  6,  9 676 

48:  6 :  .  638 


13:  9 311 

13:  11 310 

14:  3-C 660 

14:  7 673 

14:  12-17 659 

14:  13,  14 494.  504 

14:  18-20 660 

21:  11,  12 632 

24:  1,  3,  5,  6 .  .  657 

24:  4,  5 590 

24:  22 661 

25:  8  .. 650 

25:  8,  9 300 

25:  9 644 

26:  19 300 

26:  20,  21 634 

26:  21 657 

27:  5 M^\.].t  .,..  .    619 

28:  5 301 

28:  15 '.  560 

28:  17,  18 562 

28:  21 627 

30:  11 28 

80:  29,  30 635 

32:  17 277 

32:  18 675 

33:  16 626,  629 

83:  24 676 

34:  2 672 

34:  8 .  673 

35:  1 675 

85:  2 302 

87:  23 .  287 

38:  18,  19 546 

40:  5 301 

40:  8 .  288 

40: 25,  26  ..  .  .  i . . .  437 

41:  17 ,v,  .  629 

42:  16.. I'r ;'.'/?>!.  346 

42:  21 .■.'...  4CG 

43:  25 483 

45:  18 137,  674 

40:  9,  10 344 

48:  18,  22  . 285 

49:  14-16 626 

49:  15 32 

51:  3 ,  .  302 

61:  7,  8 460 

51:  11-16 633 

51:  21-23 634 

53:  4 416 

53:  7 18 

54:  17 288 

55:  8,  9 344 


55:  13 675 

56:  1,  2,  6,  7 451 

'■mizshrh  til 

58:  12,  13 453 

58:  13 447 

59:  14 586 

59:  19 COO 

60:  18 675 

61:  3 650 

61:  11 ^,  301 

62:  3 6t6 

62  :  4,  5 ,302 

62 :  12 '  650 

65 :  6,  7 •  v  ^,81 

65 :  19 !'  6l6 

65:  21,  22 ..  ..'^  6t5 

66:  5 .,.:  372 

JEREMIAHi     :  f; 

2:  13 4^8 

3 :  14 38'l. 

3:  20  .. ■,:  38? 

4:  19,  20 '  sip 

4:  23-27 .,'.    659 

6:  16 :  .  .   478 

8:  11 .    655 

9:1 21 

13:17 ..:..;.      21 

16:  21  ......... '.'..^  287 

17:  8  ..  .  . '.'..'.'  602 

17:21-25.... 19 

23:  1,  2 .'    655 

25:  31 '   656 

25:  33 . :.    657 

25: 34,  35  ........    665 

26:  18  ..;'.'.  ...."..'     85 

30:  5-X.,^,_^,y.^.j.    616 
30:  0  ..'..'.  .....\.    641 

81:  34  ........-..'.'  48fe 

50:  20  .....  . .   46S 

,    ,  LAMENTATIONS  ■ : 

4t  10 '.82 

chi-    .    .  '.  :M 

001    .  .  EZEKIELi     .    a£ 

1:  14 512 

2:7 459 

3:7  ... . .  .  V .  459 

4:  6  . .  .^., ...  1. .  324 

9:1.6.!?5(^:^^..  656 

12:  21-25,  27,  28.  ..  393 

13:  22  ....  .  .  .  ;  .  .  .  655 

14:  20 628 

16:  8,  13-15,  32...  J  382 


INDEX    OF  SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES 


693 


16:  14,  15 383 

18:  20 533 

18:  24 483 

20:  20 437 

28:  6 494 

28:  6-8,  1619 673 

28:  12-15,  17 494 

28:  18,  19 504 

33:  7-9 460 

33:  8,  9 330 

33:  11 535,  G27,  642 

DANIEL 

5:  27 491 

7:2 440 

7:  9,  10 479 

7:  10 414,  512 

7:  13 424 

7:  13,  14 480 

7:  14 427 

7:  22 661 

7:  25 51,  54,  446 

7:  27 347 

8:  14 : 409 

9:  18,  15,  20 471 

9:  22,  23,  25-27.  .  .    325 

9:  25 313 

10:  8 471 

10:  11 470 

12:  1 481,  613 

12:  2 637 

12:  4 356 

HOSEA 

2:  19 881 

4 :  6,  1,  2 60 

6:  3 611 

8:  2,  1 810 

12:  4 617 

13  :  9 35 

.14:1 .?••;•••  3^ 

JOEL     ; ; : 

1:  10-12,  17-20  .  ..-  628 
2:  1,  15-18,  12,  13.    311 

2:  11 310 

2:  23 611 

2:  26 350 

2;  31 308 

AMOS 

8:7 324 

5:  20 310 

8:  3 628 

■8;  11.  12 629 


OBADIAH 

16 545 

MICAH 

3:9-11 26 

3:  12 27 

4:8 484,  674 

5:2 313 

7:  8,  9 346 

NAIIUM 

1:3 627 

1:9 504 

2:  10 641 

HABAKKUK 

1:  13 310 

2:2 521 

3:  3,  4 641 

3:  313 301 

3:4 674 

3:  17,  18  ..  .. 629 

ZEPHANIAH 

1:  12 310 

1:  15,  16 310 

1:  18,  13 .  ...  .    310 

HAGGAI    ■ 

2:3 24 

2:  9,  7 23 

ZECHARIAH 

2:8 626 

3:2 484 

4:6 .  .232,  529 

6:  13 416 

9:9 405 

14:  5,  4,  9 663 

14:  12,  13 C57 

MALACHI 

2:  17 557 

.3:1 424 

3:  2,  3 425 

3:4 425 

3:5 426 

3:  16 481 

3:  17 634 

3:  18 640 

4:1 504,  672,  673 

4:2 645 

MATTHEW 

4:  19 171 

5:  17,  18 466 


5:  17-19 447 

5:  18 4S4 

7:  2 29 

7:  7 528 

7:  16 465,  520 

8:  11 427 

10:  5,  6 327 

10:  18-20 112 

10:  23 196 

10:  32,  33 :.    483 

10:  33 156 

10:  34 46,  126 

11:  5 20 

11:  28 20,  75,  569 

11:  29,  30 489 

12:  22 515 

12:  36,  37  ...  , 481 

13:  30,  38-41.. 321 

18:  10 ;  :".':^-  Si3 

20:  27 .;  .K'  :$8 

21:  5 .-....'.-■  i60 

21:  8-lG 367 

21:  9 402 

21:  12 127 

22:  11 428 

23:  4 568 

23:  37 22 

23:  38 24,  481 

24:  2,  3 25 

24:  9,  21,  22 39 

24:  15 341 

24:  15,  16 26 

24;  22 267 

24:  23-26 525 

24:  24-27,  31 625 

24:  29 %i,  S33 

24:  30,  27,  31 322 

24:  30,  31 37 

24:  33 38,  334 

24:  35 26 

24:  36,  3,  33,  42-51.    371 

24:  39 338,  491 

25:  5-7 398 

25:  21,  41 549 

25:  31 625 

25:  31,  32 301,  347 

25:  31-34 322 

25:  40 77,  668 

26:  64 643 

27:  25 32 

27:  42 680 

27:  42,  43 643 

28:  3,  4 5ia 

28:  20 86J 


694              INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES 

MARK  3:19 26.->    '  ROMANS 

1:14,15 327  3=20 453  j.^^  jjS 

1:15 345  3:36 533  2  i  5,  6,  V  !       !     "  *    540 

2:28 447  5:28,29 544  2-7  "    533 

5:9 514  5:29 482  2'.12.16'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'.4B6 

7:26-30 515  5:40 23  3.  go  457 

9:17-27 515  7:16 243  3:31..  '468 

12:24 599  7:17 528,599  5.^3  533 

13:1 25  8:12 312.476  q.  ^  .'. ■"468 

18:24 306  8:29 469  5.33 544 

13:24-26 37,304         11:48 27  ^.jg "  •     "  '    ^^^ 

13:33 490         11:50 615 

13:35 38         12:35 312 

13:35,36 491         14:1-3 301 

13:37 57         14:2,3 ,..,....    548 


8:  1  ..UJ'/MJ.  ..  477 

8:4 468 

8:  7 467 

.  8:  32 477 

16:15 351         14:3 339  8:34.  350 

LUKE  J^'J^ • til  8:33,39,37 350 

,.,2   33  4i«         '*="" ^^'^        11:33 527 

1:32,33 416         14:30 623         ,„    , 


14:  30 623 

2:14 40,314         15.  jq 409 


2  :  25,  32 315         15  :  19,  20 144 

4:  8 51 


12:  1 473 

13:  10 467 

14:  23 436 

15:20 47         15:4 334 


4:18 20,327  ir.^o  ir,                        

4.05                              323         ^-^^ ^'^^        15:16 469 

^"^^ ^^^         16:  13 469 

*=  11'^^ 51"         16:  24 477  I  CORINTHIANS 

4:  36 516 

6-26                              144         16:26,27 417           1:27,25 232 

9:54,56 570         17:17.19 469           2:9 675 

10:20                             481         17:24 501,636           2:14 524 

11:  13  ...........    471         18:36 297           3:10,11 56 

12^36 427         20:13 403           4:5 481,661 

is':  7  .'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'.      27  ACTS                            ^"'^ ^®^ 

18:7,8 631                                                               6:2,3 661 

19:40 404           1:11 301,339           6:10 539 

19:  41  !' ^  !!!!!.  !      18           2:17,21 611           6:19,20 475 

19:42-44.  ........      17           2:29,34 546         10:20 556 

19:44  ..!..!..!!!    316           2:47 379         13:12 676 

20:35,36 482           3:19,20 485,612         15:1618 546 

21:16,17 54           3:21 301         15:22 544 

21:20 26           4:12 74         15:23,20 399 

21:20,21 30           4:32,31 379         15:50 323 

21:25 37,304           8:4 219         15:51-53...... 322 

21:28,30,31 309           8:4,5 828         15:52-55..? 550 

21:34,36 309           8:10 625         15:55.. 644 

22:24 348  8:20  128         15:57 470 

10:  38 20,  327  II    CORINTHIANS 

13:47 315           4:4 508 

17:3 405           4:17 460 

17:31 548           5:19 417,502 

JOHN                           22:21.; 328           6:17,18 475 

1:9 262,  528  24 :  15  .  .  .  . . ". .  .  . '.  .  544           7:1 474 

1:51 19  24:  25  ..7;77/,V.  .  164           7:9-11 462 

8:14,15 74        26:5 213         11:2 381 

3:16 417        26:28 164        12:2-4 471 


22:  30 427 

24:  27 349 

24:  32 350 

24:  52,  53 339 


INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES 


695 


12:  9 489 

13:  8 101 

GALATIANS 

1:8 243 

5:  22,  23 474 

EPHESIANS 

1:  14 674 

2:  20-22 416 

3:8 471 

3:  15 677 

3:  1619 476 

4:  3-5 379 

5:5 541 

5;  14-16 603 

5:  27 425,  484 

6:  11 510 

6:  12 510 

6:  17 56 

PHILIPPIANS 

1:  12 219 

2:  12,  13 469 

3:  13,  14 470 

3:  21 399 

4:  3 481 

4:  4 478 

COLOSSIANS 

1:  9-11 476 

1:  16 493 

I  THESSALONIANS 

4:3 469 

4:  14 550 

4:  16 301 

4:  16,  17 322,  625 

4:  16-18 302,  548 

5:  2-5 38,  371 

5:  4,  5 -.  315 

5:  16-18 478 

5:  23 469,  473 

II   THESSALONIANS 

1:8 424 

2:3 356,  444,  456 

2:  3,  4 571 

2:  3,  4,  7 49 

2:4 53 

2:7 54,  384 

2:8 37,  321,  579 

2:  9,  10 553 

2:  9-11 390,  444 

2:  10,  11 559 


2:  10-12 431,  524 

2:  12 390 

I  TIMOTHT 

2:  3-6 262 

4:1 444 

6:  20 522 

II  TIMOTHY 

1:  10 533 

3:  1-5. 444 

3:9 275 

3:  12 48,  507,  608 

3:  13,  1 321 

3:  16 324 

4:3 595 

TITUS 

2:  11 262 

HEBREWS 

1:6 503 

1:  14 511 

2:  11 477 

2:  14 503 

2:  18 416 

3  :  19 458 

4:  15 416 

4:  16 347 

6:  18,  19 350 

6:  19,  20 421 

6:  20 489 

7:  25 482 

8:  1,  2 413 

8:5 413,  418 

9:  1-0 411 

9:  9,  23 413 

9:  12 421 

9:  22,  23 417 

9:  24 413,  420,  482 

9:  28 315,  485 

0:  29 600 

0:  32 39 

0:  35-39 408 

1:6 74,  436 

1:  14-16 675 

1:  26 460 

1:  35 41 

1:  36-38 40 

2:  14 541 

2:  22 512 

JAMES 

1:  25 466 

2:8 466 

2;  10 582 


2:  12 482 

2:  14-24 472 

3:  15 554 

I  PETER 

1:  10-12 344 

1:  25 350 

2:6 210 

2:  11 474 

3:  3,  4 462 

3:  12,  13 529 

4:  17 480 

5:8 510 

II  PETER 

1:  5-10 470 

1:  19 312 

1:  21 324 

3:  3,  4 370 

3:9 48 

3:  10 672 

I  JOHN 

1:7 74 

2:1 416,  482, 

2:  4,  5 .    472 

3:4 467 

3:6 472 

5:3 436,  468 

5:4 477 

JUDE 

3 51,  64 

6 661 

6,  14,  15 549 

14,  15 299,  426 

24 646 

REVELATION 

1:1-3 341 

1:  5,  6 416,  646 

1:7 301,  &K,  637 

1:9 78 

1:  13-15 624 

1:  17 471 

2:  10 41 

2:  17 646 

3:  1,  3 310 

3:3 371,  490 

3:4 484 

3:5 483 

3:  7,  8 430,  435 

3:  10 560,  619 

3:  21 416 

4:5 414 

4:  11 437 

5:  11 512 


696               INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURE  REFERENCES 

5:12 671    13:8 579    18:4 390 

5:13 545,678    13:11 439    18:5 604 

6:12 304    13:11-14., 443    18:5-10. 653 

6:12-17. 37,334    13:11-16 579  19  :  9  .  V'jf  .■  ;7.^!  1  .  .  437 

6:13 333    13:13 612    19:11,14 641 

6 :  1517 642    13:13,14 553    19  :  16 641 

7:9 665    13:16 450,604    20:1-3 658 

7:10,12 651    13:16,17 445    20:4,6 661 

7:14 428    14:1-5 649    20:5 661 

7:14-17 649    14:6,7 ...311,355    20:6 544,673 

8:3 414    14:8 381,536,603    20:11,12 666 

11:2-11.... ..  266  14:  9,  10  .  .438,  605,  627    20:12 480,549 

11:  4  ......'.•..•,■.  .  267    14:9-11 594    21:1 674 

11:  5  ..T:'.T;i'i.  I '^  .  268    15:2 648    21:2 427 

11:11..,,. .  .  286    15:2,3 450    21:4,11,24,3 676 

11:12 287    15:3 649,669    21:6,7 540 

11:15 301    15:4 670    21:9,10 427 

11:19 415,433    16:2-6,8,9 628    21:22 676 

12:6 55    16:13,14 562    21:27 474,481 

12:9 438    16:14... 556    22:5 676 

1?:  10 ^..  520    16:17,18 636,637  22:11...........  613 

12:12 623    16:19,21 637  22  :  11,  Vb' !'.'.'.'!..  .  491 

12:17 592    17:2 536    22:12 352,422 

13:1-16 439    17:4-6,18 382    22:14 466 

13:2... 54    17:15 440  22:14,  If,  ,   .....  541 

13:  3 579    18:  1,  2,  4 603    22:18.  19 268 

13.5-7 54    18:3,1517 653    22:20 302 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Abel,   hated  by   Cain,   46. 

Sabbath   kept   by,   453. 
Abraham,    Messianic  promise   to,    18. 
pleads   for   Sodom,   431. 
Sabbath   observed   by,    453. 
angels'   mission   to,    512. 
Abyssinia,    WolfC's    travels    in,    SCO. 

Christian  churches  in,   578. 
Accuser,  Satan  the,  395,  484. 
Accusers  of  the  brethren,  Satan's  helpers, 

519,    520. 
Adam,   promise  of  redemption  to,   345. 
Sahbath    kept   by,    453. 
temptation   and  fall  of,   531-534,  666. 
.stature    of,    644. 
repentance    of,    647,    648. 
redeemed,   644. 
meeting  of  first  and  second   Adams, 

647. 
joy  of,  in  New  Jerusalem,   648. 
Adams,    John    Quincy,    360. 
Advent  of  Christ,   types   of,   399,   400. 

see  also  First  advent;  Second  advent. 
Advent  faith,  scriptural  basis  of,  409. 
Advent   message,   proclam.ation   of,    tiinelv, 
351-354. 
general   proclamation   of,    355-374. 
.       result   of   receiving,    379. 
I,.      rejection    of,    by   churches   generally, 
380. 
««e    also    Advent   Movement;    Proph- 
ecies;   Signs. 
Advent  Movement,  beginning  of,   330. 

impetus    given    to,    by    fulfilment    of 

Litch's   prediction,    334,    335. 
opposition    to,     336-338,     403. 
defense  of,    by   Miller,    33  7. 
growth    and    progress    of,    837,    357, 

368-370,    395-398,    401. 
experiences  during,   351-354. 
extent  of   proclamation   of,    357. 
character  of,   400-404. 
results    of,    340,    405. 
a    te.st,    406. 
no    regrets   for   experiences    in,    406, 

407.  ' 
Ood's  power  manifested  in,  398-408, 

611. 
God    the    leader    in,    410,    411,    423, 

424,     432,     457. 
see  also   First   angel's   message;    Sec- 
ond   angel's    message;     Th<rd    an- 
gel's  message  ;    Miller ;    Prophecy  : 
Prophecies;   Signs. 
Adventists,   rise  of,   331,   332,   335. 
opposition   to,   by   churches,   337. 


Adventists  —  continued. 

disappointment    of,     m     1844,     329, 

351,    374,    391-394,    403-408. 
infidelity   charged   to.    336. 
mistake    of,    353. 
persecution    of,    372. 
polity  of,   in   days  of  Miller.   375. 
unity    among,    379,    398 
withdraw   from   churches,    375.    376. 

390. 
trial  and  faith  of,  391,  392.  403-408. 
parable    of    ten    virgins    applied    to, 

393,    394,    398-402. 
searching    Scriptures    after    passing 

of    time,    391. 
fanaticism  among,   395-398. 
midnight  cry  given  by,  400-403,  423. 
sanctuary   question   studied  by,   411- 

415,    429,    454. 
law  of  God  studied  by,   434,   435. 
attitude     of,     toward    further    light, 

456-460. 
see     also      First      angel's     message ; 
Prophecy;     Prophecies;     Seventh- 
day  Adventists;   Signs. 
Advocate,   see  Christ. 

Affection,   natural,   destroyed  by  monastic 
system,   82. 
one  of  Satan's  agencies  to  hold  men 
in    his   snares,    597. 
Africa,   Christians  in,   63,   577,   578. 

Wolff's  travels  in,   360. 
Agrippa,    165. 

Albigenses,    as  refugees   in    Bohemia,    97, 
271. 
see    also    Waldenses. 
Aleander,  papal  legate,  at  Diet  of  Worms, 

133,    140-150,    162,    168. 
Alleine,   work  of,    in   England,   252. 
America,    an    asvlum    for   the   persecuted, 
252. 
Whitefield    and   the   Wesleys    as    mis- 
sionaries to,   253,  254. 
religious  liberty   in,   295.   296. 
advent   message   proclaimed    in,    363. 
prediction    of    supremacy    of    Roman 

Catholic    Church    in.    573,    579. 
see   also    United    States;    Miller. 
American   Bible   Society,    organization   of, 

287. 
American    Sabbath-school    t^nion    on    the 

change  of  the  Sabbath,  447. 
American    Tract    Society,    on    the    change 

of   the   Sabbath,    447. 
Amnon,    Universalist   minister  on   fate  of, 

537-539. 
Ananias  and  Sappbira,  44. 

[097] 


698 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Angel,     seeking    for     watchers     for     first 

advent  of   Christ,    314,    315. 
Angels,     good,     announce     the     birth     of 
Christ,    46. 
records  of  persecution  kept  by,  59,  61. 
give    tidings    of    Christ's   birth,    313, 

314. 
watch    effect    of    warning    of    second 

advent,     373. 
protect    advent    believers    after    dis- 
appointment,   374. 
work    of,    under   midnight    cry,    402. 
not   spirits  of   departed,    511. 
work  of,  as  recorders,  482,  486,  487. 
number,    power,    and    work   of,    511- 

514,   630-632. 
guardianship  of,    512,   513. 
will    bring    truths    to    remembrance 

when    needed,    600. 
protect    people    of    Qod    in    time    of 

trouble,    630-632. 
attend  Christ  at  second  advent,   641. 
as     speakers     in     national     councils, 
632. 
Angels,  evil,   agency  of,  398,  511-517. 
power  of,    614. 
when  to  be  judged,  661. 
see    also    Spirits;    Spiritualism. 
Annihilation,    318. 
Antediluvians,     warnings     nnheeded     bv, 

837,    338. 
Antichrist,    recognized    bv    Wycliffe,     8G; 
by   Luther,    139,    i41,    205. 
spirit    of,     in     Protestant     churches, 

384. 
nee    also     Papacy. 
Antinnmians,  warnings  unheeded  by,  337, 

338. 
Antinoniianism,   errors  of,    260,   261. 
Apostasy,   of   ancient   Israel,    20,    21. 
of  earlv  church,   49-60. 
the     great,     42-45,     286,     289,     298, 

384.    389,    443,    571,    619. 
of      Protestant     churches,      383-390, 

443-445. 
prepared   way   for  papacy,   443. 
ia  last   days,    444. 
see   also    Babylon. 
Arabs,    belief    of,     in    second    coming    of 
Christ,   362. 
Wolff's  travels   among,    361,   362. 
Ark    of    God's    testament,    seen    in    heav- 
enly   sanctuary,    433. 
tables  of  stone   in,   433. 
Armageddon,  battle  of,  603,  664,  671,  672. 
Armenia,   Christians   in,    63. 
Artaxerxes,     decree    of,     to     restore     and 
rebuild  .Jerusalem,   326,   327,   410. 
Ascension  of  Christ,   350,   351. 
Asia,  Wolff's  travels  in,  360-362. 
Associations,    influence  of,    508,   509 
Atheism,   definition  of,   269. 

in    France,    269,    270,    274-276,    285, 
584. 
Atkins,    Robert,    on    spiritual    declension 
in    England,    387,    383. 


Atonement,     in    earthly    sanctuary,     418- 

420. 
important  truths  taught  by,   420. 
in  heavenly  sanctuarv,   399-402,  420- 

422,    428-430. 
great  time   of,    489,    490,    623. 
Augsburg,    trial    of    Luther    at,    134-137. 
Diet  of,   206,   207. 
Confession   of   Protestant  princes   at, 

206-211. 

Baal,   583. 

Babylon,   symbol  of  apostate  religion,   65, 
381-384,    390. 
fall    of,    383-390. 

many  of   God's   people   in,   383,   390. 
the   great   sin   of,    388. 
false  doctrines  of,  388-390,  536,  537. 
message    to    God's    people    in,     603, 

604. 
sins    of,    revealed    by    preaching    of 
third    angel's    message,    605,    606. 
judgments  to  fall   upon,    653. 
see  also  Apostasy  ;   Church ;   Papacy  ; 
Roman    Catholic    Church. 
Backsliding,    of    Israelites,    19. 

among   professed    Christians,    a    sign 
of  Christ's  coming,   309,   316. 
Baden,   conference   at,    182-184. 

results    in    strong    impetus    to    Prot- 
estant cause,    18-1. 
Balaam,    529,    530. 
Baptism,   prohibited   in  France,   274. 

of  Christ,   327. 
Barnes,    English   Reformer,    248. 
Ba.sel,    Switzerland,    173,    178. 
Battle,   the   last  great,    663,    604. 
Baxter,    work    of,    252,    253. 

belief  of,   in  second  advent,   303. 
Beasts    of    prophecy,     interpretation     of: 
the      dragon       (Satan      and      pagan 

Rome),    438. 
the  leopard    (papacy),  48,  439,   443- 

445. 
the     two-horned      beast      (United 

States),   439-442,   445. 
beast  from   bottomless  pit,   269,   286 
see   also   Prophecy ;    Prophecies. 
Beda,   216. 
Beecher,  Charles,  on  creeds,   388. 

on    condition    of    Protestant   ministry 
in    America,    444,    445. 
Belgium,   Luther's  writings  circulated  in, 

139. 
Eengel,   second  advent  message  given  by, 

in  Germany,   363,   364. 
Bern,    Zwingle   in    convent   at,    172,    173. 
Berquin,    Louis   de,   life,   work,   and  mar- 
tyrdom  of,    215-218. 
Bethlehem,  story  of,   313-315. 
Bible,    a    system    of    revealed    truth,    320, 
321. 
the   charter  of  liberty,   296,   335. 
preservation     of,     through     ages     of 

darkness,    69,    79. 
our   guide,    63,    203,   205,    521. 
immutability  of,   66. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


699 


6ible  —  continued. 

power  of,  to  protect  in  danger,  361. 

chart  of  truth,   508. 

its  own  interpreter,  93,  173,  324, 
598,   599. 

harmony  in,   329. 

reliability  of  history  in,  522. 

how  to  study,  132,  173,  174,  320, 
321,   521,   598,   599. 

results  from  study  of,  72,  79,  94, 
195,  196,  204,  212,  214,  215, 
222,  277,  530,   560,  572,  593-602. 

memorizing  of,  67,   194. 

study  of,  by  Miller,  319-330;  by 
Adventists,    405-408. 

can  be  understood  by  common  people, 
60,   89,    195,    246,    319,   320,    341. 

ignorance  of,  among  people,  60,  99, 
195,  342;  among  Roman  Catholic 
clergy,    195. 

efforts  of  Saten  against,  204,  526, 
593-595. 

little  valued,  582,  583. 

suppression  of,  by  papacy,  51,  69, 
194,  340,  388;  by  Protestants, 
376. 

results  of  suppression  of,  55,  60, 
586. 

results  of  rejection  of,  465,  526, 
527,   586,   587,   598. 

war    against,    in    France,    265-288. 

God's  two  witnesses,  interpretation  of, 
266-269,  286,  287;  honor  shown 
to,  287,  288. 

false  theories  regarding,  522,  523, 
536,    537. 

denied  by  evil  spirits,   557. 

supplanted  by  spirit  manifestations, 
557. 

ridiculed,    561. 

authority  of,  contended  for  by 
Wycliffe,  81;  acknowledged  by 
Vaudois,  68;  Huss,  102;  Luther, 
126,  132,  166;  Zwingle,  173, 
177;  (Ecolampadius,  183;  Germ.in 
princes,  204;  Calvin,  221;  Dutch, 
238;  Tyndale,  245;  by  all  lead- 
ing Reformers,  203,  249;  by 
Miller,    319;   by   Protestants,   448. 

as  a  rule  of  ifaith  and  practice,  re- 
jected, 45 ;  accepted  by  Walden- 
ses,  63,  249;  Wycliffe,  249; 
Huss,  249;  Luther,  120,  240; 
Zwingle,  173,  249;  German 
princes,  205;  Pilgrim  Fathers, 
296;  by  all  Protestants,  204, 
205 ;  by  Miller,  396 ;  by  people 
of  God  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
595. 

translations  of,  by  W  a  1  d  e  n  s  e  s 
(French),  65:  by  Wvcliffe  (Eng- 
lish), 80,  81,  87-89,  245;  bv 
Luther  (German),  193,  194;  by 
Lefevre  (French),  214;  into 
Dutch,  238;  Danish,  242;  Swed- 
ish, 244;  by  Tyndale  (English), 
245-247. 

circulation  of,  72,  89,  99,  194,  195, 
231,  233,  247,  287,  288,  298, 
3G1. 

copying    by    hand,    68,    69,    88,     80. 

tee   also    Prophecy ;    Two    witnesses. 


Bishops  of  Rome,   power  claimed  by,   50, 
56,   261,   580,   581. 

see     aUo     Pope ;      Papacy ;      Remap 
Catholic   Church. 
Blindness    of    .Tev;^,    regarding    first    ad- 
vent,  378. 

of    people    of    this    generation,    561, 
562. 
Blood    of    Christians    is    seed,    42,    240, 

249,   634. 
Bohemia,   gospel  planted   in,    97. 

an  asylum  for  Waldensos  and  Al- 
bigenses,    97. 

papal  bull  prohibiting  public  wor- 
ship in  Bohemian  tongue,  97, 
141,    197. 

the   Bible  in,   99. 

cartoon  of  Christ  and  the  pope,  by 
two   artists,    99,    100. 

advance  of  gospel  in,  after  death  of 
Huss,    115. 

crusades  against,  miraculous  defeat 
of,    116,    117. 

persecution  of  Hussites  in,  118,  119, 
254. 

see  also  Huss ;  Jerome.  ; 

Bokhara,  travels  of  Wolff  in,  360,  361. 
Books,    on    second    advent,     in    Spanish 
lands,    363. 

in   Germany,   363,   364. 

in    America,    368. 

of  record  in  heaven,  blotting  out 
of  sins  from,  421,  422,  614;  to 
determine  decisions  in  final  judg- 
ment, 480-483 ;  wicked  to  be 
judged    from,    666. 

Book  of  Life:  contains  names  of  all 
who  have  entered  service  of  God, 
480,  484;  names  of  finally  im- 
penitent blotted   out  of,   483. 

Book  of  Remembrance:  contains 
record  of  good  deeds,  481;  good 
deeds  of  wicked  erased  from,  483 ; 
interest  of  heaven  in,  484. 

Book  of  Death :  contains  record  of 
evil  deeds,  481;  sins  of  righteous 
erased  from,  483;  judgment 
passed  on  wicked,  recorded  in, 
661. 

see  also   Literature;   Writings. 
Bottomless  pit,  represents  desolated  earth, 
658,    659. 

beast     from,      represents     atheistical 
power    displayed   in    France,    269, 
286. 
British      and     Foreign      Bibla      Society, 

founding  of,   287. 
Britons,     primitive     Christianity     among, 
62. 

Rome  attempts  to  subjugate.   63. 

see   also   England;    Great   Britain. 
Brock,   Mourant,    362. 
Bulls,     papal,     to    exterminate    Vaudois, 
76,    77. 

against    Wycliffe,    85,    86. 

against  Luther,  141;  burned  by 
Luther,     142;    published,     147. 

to  establish  the  Inquisition,  235. 
Bunyan,   John,    252. 


?O0 


GENERAL   INDEX- 


Gain,   hatred   of,    for   Abel,   46. 
life   of,   why   spared,   543. 
Calvary,     wages     of    sin     proclaimed     by, 
348,    504,    540. 
Satan's   character   revealed   by,    501. 
502. 
Calvin,   educated  for  priesthood,   221. 

conversion  of,  to  Protestantism,   219- 

221. 
laboi-s   of,    in   Geneva,   233-236. 
not  free  from  errors,  236,  292. 
belief     of,      in     second     coming     of 
Christ,    303. 
Cartoon,  of  Christ  and  the  pope,  99,  100. 
Catacombs,   a  shelter  for  Christians  from 

persecution,    40. 
Catholicism,  see  Roman  Catholic  Church; 

Papacy;    Pope;    Jesuits. 
Cestius,    retreat   of,    from   Jerusalem,    30, 

31. 
Character,  examination  of,   in  final  judg- 
ment,   428,    479. 
of    God,    misrepresented    bj'     Satan, 
569;   by  papacy,   569. 
Charity,    monks    claimed    that    Jesus    was 
supported    by,    84. 
false,    571. 
Charles  V.,    145,   233,   239. 

refusal  of,   to   receive  light,    163-105. 
at   Bict  of    Spires,    197,    198,    202. 
at   Diet    of    Augsburg,    206,    207. 
abdication  of,    211. 
Charles    IX.,    272. 
Chart,   prophetic,    392. 
Child-preachers,   in   Sweden,    366,   367 
Children,    of   Geneva,    Oaussen   began   his 
ministry    with,    365,    366. 
Christ     heraldod     by.     at     triumphal 
entry    into    Jerusalem,    367. 
Christ,   birth   of,    46,    313. 

sorrow    of,    over    Jerusalem,     18-22. 
^.,    .   care  of,   for   Israel,    19,   20. 

work  of,  on  this  earth,  20,  415-417, 

503. 
rejected  by  Israelites,  20,  23. 
beholds    downfall    of    Israel,    21,    2 J. 
peace  on  earth  due  to  His  restrain- 
ing  power,    36. 
sacrifice   of,    345,    848. 
coming    of,     to    most    holy    place     in 

heavenly   temple,    424-427. 
ministration      of,      427-432;      Chris- 
tians   generally    ignorant    of,    4  30, 
431;      not      understood     by      Ad- 
ventists    in    1844,    429,    431. 
our    advocate,    474,    482-484. 
work    of,    in    investigative   judgment, 

482.    483. 
contest   of,   with   Satan,    501. 
death     of,      revealed      Satan's      true 

character,    501,    502. 
victory  of,  over  temptation,   510. 
deity  of,  524. 
tenderness  of,    570. 
rejection  of,  by  Jewish  leaders,   50.^, 

596. 
views    exaltation    of    human    author- 
ity,   596. 


Christ  —  continued. 

close  of  work  of,   in   heavenlv  sanc- 
tuary,   425,    427,    428,    613,    614. 
second  coming  of,  299-316.  640-644. 
appearance     of,     at    second    coming, 

641. 
how   regarded   by   redeemed,    652. 
satisfied     with     fruits     of     sacrifice, 

652,    671. 
returns    to    earth    at    close    of    thou- 
sand  years,    662. 
coronation    of,     666. 
xee     also     JMrst      advent;      Messiah; 
Second    advent. 
Christian   church,    danger   of,    in    seeking 
support    of    secular    rulers,     381, 
385. 
Christian  world,  great  sin  of,  is  rejection 

of  law  of   God,   22. 
Christianity,  assailed  by  paganism,   39. 
union    of,    with   paganism,    43. 
see    also    Religion. 
Christians,    escape    of,    from    Jerusalem, 
30,    31.  ' 

I)crBecution    of,     in     first    centuries, 

39-48. 
gospel    advanced    bv    persecution    of, 

42. 
spiritual      declension      of,'     309-311, 

463. 
to    reject    the    message    of    Christ's 

second  coming,   338,   339. 
true,   in  every   church,   449,   565. 
to  be  divided  into  two  classes,   450. 
satisfied    with    religion    oi    their    fa- 
thers,  454. 
reject  Sabbath  truth,  454. 
Kplf-indulgence   of,    4  74,    475. 
l;lessings   on   true,    476. 
hei!;hts  to  be  gained  by,   as  sons  of 

God,   476,   477. 
ch.Tracter    and    work    of    Satan    not 

comprehended  by,  507,   508. 
to  watch   and  pray,   510. 
under  care  of  guardian  angels,  512, 

513,    517. 
Christian      experience      needed      by, 

COl.    602. 
see    also    People    of    God;    Persecu- 
tion;   Redeemed;    Religion;    Books 
of  record. 
Chronologj',      scriptural,      323-329,      398- 
400,    409,    410,    424,    438-440. 
■see  also  Prophecy;  Prophecies. 
Church,   the  true,    64. 

perils   of,    in    Dark    Ages,    55-60. 
represented  in  prophecy  by  virtuous 

woman,   381. 
seeking  favor  of  world,   383. 
use  of  secular  power  by,  always  op- 
pressive,   442,    443. 
Satan    preparing    last    campaign 

against,   510. 
see  also  People  of  God;   Redeemed; 
Israel;     Christians;     Reformation. 
Churches,   spiritual   apathy  in,   308,    309, 
376-378,    463,    464. 
apostasy  of,   384,   444. 
rejection  of  advent  message  by,  373, 
380. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


701 


Churches  —  continued. 

Adventists  forced  to  withdraw  from, 
',„  375,   376,   390. 

worldliness    in,  .  376,    380,    382-388. 
a',      fall  of,   389; 

true  Christians  in,  390,  464. 
.*'      seeking  aid  of  civil  powei-,  445'. 
,€l     unholy  traffic  in,   474. 

cause  of  lack  of  power  in,   463. 
see   aluo    Babylon;    Protestants;    Ro- 
man   Catholic    Church. 
Church  and  state,   201.         '    .;*i'^    , 
.      i    in.  Europe,    268,    269.ililiH   .nic 

in  the  United  States,  293;' 296,   297, 

442-44,5.  .,.  -    ■ 

in  all  the  worid,  450,  606,  607. 
Church  of  England,.  289,   384,   443. 

see   also    England. 
Church    of    Rome,    see    Roman    Catholic 

.  Church;    Babylon. 
Civil  rulers,   see  Church   and  etate. 
Clarke,  Dr.  Adam,  on  sleep  of  the  dead, 

,V  547. 
Cleansing    of    sanctuary,    see    Sanctuary. 
Clergy,  see  Ministers. 

Cloud,  sign  of  Christ's  coming,  640,  641. 
College  of  the  Propaganda,   Rome,  358. 
Colporteurs  in  time  of  Wycliffe,   87. 

in    time    of    Reformation,    178,     194, 
.'  231. 

see   also    Bible,    circulation    of;    Lit- 
erature ;  Writings. 
Coltimba,   62,   249. 
Comforter,  work  of,  600,,,   ,,   .     .  ,/ 
Coming    of    Christ,    second;-  'ied    Sfecond 

advent.  ' 

Commandments,    see    Law    of    God;    Sab- 

•  bath;    Fourth   commandment. 
Compromise     of     p'rineiple,     urged     upon 
early   C'hristi.-in.s,    42,    43. 
between    Christianity    and'  paganism, 
49,    .50,    298. 
■  of    Bohemians   with    Rome,    118. 
urged  upon  Luther,  165,  16C. 
at  Spires,  rejected,   199. 
between      Protestants      and      Roman 
-Catholics,   199,   566. 
Compulsion,    Satan's    resort,    591. 
Confessional,  evils  of  the,  74,  83,  98,  567. 
Confession  of  faith,   by  Wycliffe,   91,   92. 
by  Luther,    158,    160. 
by    German    princes,    at    Augsburg, 
202-210.  !       '■ 

Conflict,    the    impending,    causes   of,    582- 

592. 
Conscience,  Rome  no  right  to  coerce,  200. 
freedom   of,    591. 
see  also  Freedom;  Religious  Liberty. 

Consciousness    in    death,    theory    of,    58, 
545. 
see   also    Spiritualism. 
Oonetance,     martrrdora     of     Ifuss      and 

Jerome  at,   109,   115. 
.0('C  eoe  also  Council  of  Conatance. 


a 


Constantine,    nominal    conversion   of,    50. 

first  Sunday  law  issued  by,   574. 
Constitution    of   the    United    States,    295, 

.  296,   441,    442. 
Controversy,    between    truth    and    error. 
144. 
between  Christ  and  Satan,  beginning 
of,    493-500,    582;    close    of,    518, 
582-592,    662-678. 
Conversion,  fruits  of  true,  463,  478. 

work  of,  465,   467. 
Convictions    of    dutv,    result    of    stifiintj, 

378. 
Coronation  of  Christ,   CCC.'        '.       ,^ 
Councils,   ecclesia.stical,   .53.      ^,.    ,j.,, 
forged  decrees  of,   56,   198,.  Soew 
of  Constance,    95,   96,   10>-115.      ''' 
of  Nice,   52.  ^  '  ' 

of   Zurich,    180-182.  '     ■.,,•,,'! 

Counterfeits    in   religion,    l86,  '1^3,    464. 
528.  '    S':n.:r^, 

Courts,    of    heaven,    angels    interested    in 

decisions  of,  481!,  481. 
of   justice,    corruption    in,    586. 
angels  of  heaven  attend  earthly,  632. 
Covenants,   old   and  new,    sanctuaries  of, 

413. 
Cranmer,    248. 
Creation,    Sabbath  the  memorial  of,   437, 

438,    446,   452. 
Creeds,   resting  faith  on,    388. 
Criminals,   false  sympathy  for,   585,   586. 
Crosby,  Ploward,  on  condition  of  churches 

in   1871,    387. 
Cross,    insignia    of,    displayed    by    Rome, 

568.  • 
to  be  science  and  song  of  redeemed, 

651. 
Crusades,    against    Waldenses,    76. 

against  Hussites,    115-117. 
Culture,  use  made  of,  by  Satan,   509. 
Cyrus,    decree   of,   to   restore   and  rebuil<J 

Jerusalem,  326. 

Diiniel,   first  advent  foretold  by,   312. 

an    example    of    true    sanctification, 

470. 
protected  by  angels  in  heathen  court 

and    in    lions'    don,    512. 
overcome    by    vision    of    persecution, 

325. 
book    of,    studied    by    Miller,    320; 
unsealed    in    1798,    356;    relation 
of,   to  the  Revelation,   341. 
Darius,  decree  of,   to  restore  and  rebuild 

Jerusalem,    326. 
Dark  Ages,    54,    55,    60,   93,   556. 

see  also  Middle  Ages. 
Dark  Day,   305-308.      '  '      ' 
Daughters  of  Rome,  382-384. 

see   also   Churches ;    Protestants. 
Day  of  the  Lord,   38,  48,   310,    311,   479. 

see   also   End. 
Day    for    year,    in    prophetic    expoBition, 
324. 


702 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Dead,  condition  of,  544-552. 
Death,    theory    of    consciousness    in,    58, 
545,    551,   552. 
declared  by  France  to  be  an  eternal 

sleep,   274. 
the    penalty    of    transgression,     533, 

540,    541,    544. 
contrast    between    first    and    second, 

544. 
a  sleep,  546-550,  556. 
see  also   Resurrection. 
Decalogue,  see  Law  of  God. 
Deceptions,  of  Ratnn,   192,  193,  389,  300, 
516-530,  556. 
the  fir.st  great,  531-550. 
why  so  successful,  507,  508. 
Declaration    of    Independence,    295,    29(;, 

441,  442. 
Decree,    to    restore    and    rebuild    Jerusa- 
lem,   320-329,    398. 
against  WydifTc's  followers,   89. 
against   Reformation,    198,    199. 
against  the  Lutherans,   199,  200. 
against    Sabbath-keepers,    615,    626, 

631. 
see  also  Edict. 
Decretals,    forged,    in    support    of    papal 

claims,  56. 
Deists,  Miller's  association  with,  318,  319. 

effect  of  his  preaching  on,   332. 
Deliverance   of   God's  people,    635-652. 
terror   of   wicked    at   beholding,    636, 
639,    640,    642-644. 
Demons,  possession  bv,  in  time  of  Christ, 
513-516. 
see  also  Evil  spirits. 
Denmark,    Reformation    in,    241,    242. 
Denominations,  effect  on,  of  Miller's  mes- 
sage,  332. 
Miller   at   first   no    thought    of    sepa- 
rating   from,     375. 
Adventists  forced  to  leave,  376,  370. 
true  Christians  in  all,  449. 
Dependence  on  God,  our  need  of,  530. 

on  man,   danger   in,   388,    696,    597. 
Destruction,    of    Jerusalem,    17-38. 

compared    to    destruction    of    world, 

37,    38,    653-661. 
in  time  of  trouble,   637. 
Diet,    of   Augsburg,    206,    207;    "greatest 
day  of  the  Reformation,"  207. 
of    Spires,    first,     197,    second,     19S; 
decree    of,     against     Reformation, 
198,      199;      protest      of      princes 
against   decree   of,    201-204. 
of  Worms,    145-168;    Luther  before, 

150-167. 

see  also  Council. 

Disappointment,    of    disciples,    346,    348. 

of   advent   believers,    353,    354,    374, 

391,  393,  403-408,  423,  431,  432. 

of     disciples     and     advent     believers 

compared,   351,   4jD4 
will    of    God    fulfilled    in,    353,    354, 
391,    405. 
Disciples,    humble  men,    171. 
in  siege  of  Jerusalem,  328. 


Disciples  —  continued. 

failure    of,    to    understand    Christ's 

prediction    of    the    destruction    of 

Jerusalem,    24,    25. 
failure    of,    to    understand    Christ's 

mission,    345,    349. 
disappointment    of,    346,    348,    404. 
courage   of,    after   resurrection,    349, 

350. 
commission   to,    351. 
Disobedience,    result   of,    532,    533. 

penalty  of,    533,   534. 
Doctrine,  Bible  the  foundation  of  all  true, 

126. 
of   election,    261. 
perverted  by   Satan,   298. 
false,   in   churches,   388,   389. 
pleasing  fables   of,    523. 
see    also    Indulgences;    Infallibility; 

Mass ;    Purgatory. 
Door,  the  open  and  shut,  429,  430,  435. 

see  also  Mercy. 
Doubt,   cause  of,   522. 

becoming  fashionable,   526,   527. 
how  to  be  freed  from,   526-528. 
youth    assailed    by,    600. 
see  also  Infidelity. 
Dragon,   of  Revelation  twelve,    438,   439, 

658. 
voice  of,  heard  in  early  persecutions, 

77. 
two-horned    beast    speaks    like,    441, 

442. 

Earth,   as  home  of  Adam  and  Eve,   531- 
533. 
how   sin  entered,   531. 
final   desolation   of,    653-661. 
condition   of,   during  thousand  years, 

058-060. 
purification  of,  by  fire,  672-674,  678. 
Earthquake,    the    great,    at    Lisbon,    304, 
305. 
at  end  of  world,  637. 
see   also    Signs. 
Eck,   Doctor,  champion  of  Rome,   182. 
at  discussion  in  Baden,   183,  184. 
on    refutation    of    Augsburg    Confes- 
sion,   208. 
Eden,   loss   of,    by   Adam   and   Eve,    348, 
531-533,   646. 
restoration  of,    299,   484,   648. 
Edict,  of  Spires,  197;  repeal  of,  198. 

of    Worms,    against   Lutherans,    167, 
168,    197,    201,    202,    208. 
Edward   III.,    Wycliffe  chaplain  for,   81, 

84,    85. 
Egypt,    boldest    of    nations    in    resisting 
God,   269. 
spiritual,    269. 

labors   of  Joseph  Wolff  in,   360. 
plagues  of,    614,   627,   628. 
Einsiedeln,   Zwingle   at,    174-176. 
Election,   doctrine  of,   261. 
Elector  of   Saxony,   see  Frederick;   John. 
Elijah,   visited  by   angels,   512,    629. 

accusations   against,    458,    520,    590. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


703 


Elijah  —  continued. 

idolatry  in  time  of,  583. 
as  a  reprover,  606. 
Elisha,   protected  by   angels,    208,   512. 

Lliller  compared  1*  •S'^i, 
End  of  world,   3\,  ii,   062-678. 

see  aho  Day  of  the  Lord. 
"End  of  the  Lord,"   meaning  of,   354. 
England,    primitive    Christianity    in,    62. 
attempt  of  Rome  to  conquer,  62,  63. 
Sabbath    observed    in,    63. 
Wycliffe's    influence    on    political    af- 
fairs in,   82,   84,    85. 
progress    of    Reformation     in,     245- 

264. 
persecution   of   believers   in,   94,    95, 

252. 
Protestantism     established     in,     251. 
departure    of    Puritans    from,     290, 

291. 
advent  message   proclaimed   in,    362. 
aee  also   Church  of   England. 
Enmity,    between    man    and    Satan,    505- 
510. 
of  man  against  Satan,   implanted  by 

God,    506. 
of  Jews  against  Christ,  506. 
Enoch,  299. 

Erasmus,    Greek    and    Latin    editions    of 
New   Testament   by,    245. 
letter  of,  to  Berquiu,   216. 
Erfurt,  preaching  of  Luther  at,  152. 
Errors,    accepted    by    rejecters    of    truth, 
523. 
enumeration  of  some  great,  524-520, 

588. 
see  also  Truth;   Deceptions;   Snares. 
Esau,  Jacob's  deliverance  from,   616-618. 
Eternal  torment,   theory  of,   58. 

contrary    to    God's    character,    534- 

537. 
received  from  Rome,   536. 

Ethiopia;     Christians     in,     during     Dark 
Ages,    577. 

Eucharist,   see  Mass. 

Eusebius,  on  the  Sabbath,   574. 

Eve,   temptation   of,    531-534. 

Satan's  lie  to,   561. 
Everett,   Edward,   441. 
Evil,   origin   of,   492-504. 

God    not   responsible    for,    492,    493. 

Satan   the   author  of,    493-504. 

final  extermination  of,  5U4,  545, 
673,    G78. 

see  also   Satan ;    Sin. 

Evil  spirits,  agency  of,  511-517, 

work  of,   513. 

efforts   of,   against  Christ,   513,   314. 

danger  of  those  who  deny  existence 
of,    516. 

cast  out  by  Christ,  514-516. 

work  and  power  of,  in  time  of 
trouble,    614. 

see  also  Angela,  evil;  Satan;  Spir- 
itualism. 


Excommunication,   of  IIuss,    100. 
of  Luther,  133,   141,  143,  147. 

Faith,  awakening  of,  by  Luther's  preach- 
ing,   133. 
lack  of,  in  our  day,  373. 
essential  to  keeping  of  the  law,  436. 
nature  of,  469-472. 
faith   only,    without   works,    a   popu- 
lar doctrine,   472. 
ample  evidence  for,  527. 
need   of   cherishing,    621. 
see  also  Justification;    Works. 
False  decretals,   56. 
False   doctrines,    of  Rome,    in   Protestant 

churches,   388,   389. 
False  prophets,   186,   187. 
Familiar  spirits,    556. 

see   also    Spiritualism. 
Fanaticism,   in   time  of   Luther,    186-193, 
396,    397. 
in  Paul's   day,   396. 
in   Wesley  s   time,    396. 
in   Netherlands,    239. 
after    disappointment    of    1844,    395- 

398. 
disappeared    before    proclamation    of 

midnight    cry,    400. 
met   by    all    reformers,    396. 
Parel,    213,    214. 

New   Testament    translated   by,    214. 
work    of,    in    Prance,    219. 
in  Switzerland,  230-232. 
in  Geneva,   232,   233,   265. 
Fashion,   worship   of,   474. 
Fathers,    clingins    to    customs    and    tradi- 
tions of,   164,   454. 
Fathers  of  the  church,  traditions  of,  used 
for    support    of    Sunday    as    Sab- 
bath,  448,   455. 
Ferdinand,  King,   201,  202,  205. 
Finney,   Prof.   C.   G.,   on  spiritual  apathy 

in  the  churches,  377. 
First    advent   of    Christ,    failure   of   Jews 
to  understand  prophecies  of,   312- 
314,  378. 
a   curse   pronounced  by  Jews  on   all 
who  should  compute  time  of,   378. 
aee  also  Jews ;    Pharisees. 
First  angel's  message,   311. 

giving    of,    351,    355-374,    379,    380, 

398. 
purpose   of,    379. 

represented     bv     coming     of     bride- 
groom,  393,   394,   398,   400-403. 
points     to     Christ's     ministration     in 
most    holy    place,    and    to    investi- 
gative judgment,    424,    434-436. 
see     also     Advent     Movement ;     Ad- 
ventists. 
Fitch,    Charles,    prophetic   chart   of,    392. 
Plavel,    work    of,    in    England,    252,    253. 
Forbearance  of  God,  limits  to,   36. 

see  also  God. 
Force,    not   employed   by    God,    493,    641- 
543,   591. 


704 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Foreign    missions,    rise    and    growth    of, 

287,    238. 
Forged    documents,    used   by   papacy,    56. 
Formalism  in  Christian   churches,   378. 
Fourth      commandment,      importance      of, 
484,    485. 
change   of,    by   papacy,    52,    446-449. 
contains   the   seal   of    God,    640. 
see  also  Sabbath;  Law  of  God;  Seal. 
Fr&nce,    Luther's    writings    circulated    in, 
139. 
Reformation   in,   211-236. 
rejection   of   gospel  by,   230.  . 
compared    to    Sodom,    270. 
atheism    and   licentiou.sness   in,    270- 

274,   584. 
St.    Bartholomew    massacre    in,    272, 

273. 
Xwrsecutlon  of  believers  in,   97,   271. 
conditions  in,  during  the  Revolution, 
,;'.'(  ■'"279-287. 

proclamation    of   advent   message    in, 
364. 
Francis    I.,    attitude    of,    toward    gospel, 

214,   222,   223. 

■'        admiration-  of,    for    Berquin,     21G, 
217. 
decides     against      the     Reformation, 
227-230. 
Frederick,    elector    of    Saxony,    friendship 
of,  for  Luther,   138,   145,   165. 
at  Diet  tff   Worms,    162. 
plans    Luther's   escape    to    Wartburg 

castle,    168. 
Luther's  letter   to,    on   leaving  Wart- 
burg,   188,    180. 
death  of,    198,    199. 
Freedom,   of  conscience,   crushing  of,    62. 
of    will,    granted   by    God,    493,    541, 

542,    591. 
see  also  Conscience. 
French    Revolution,     230,     265-288. 

scenes  of,  273-277,   282-287. 
Friars,    mendicant,    influence    of,    82-85. 
opposed   by   Wyrliffe,    82-84,    87,    88. 
sale   of   indulgences  by,    127-129. 
in  time  of  Luther,    195. 
Frith,    248. 
Froment,   work  of,  in  Geneva,  232.   233. 

Gambler?,    influence    of   Miller's    message 

on,    332. 
Gambling,    Governor   Washburn   on,    387. 
Gaussen,  work  of.   in  Geneva,  364-366. 

teaching  ciiildren,  365. 
Geneva,  establishment  of  Reformation  in, 
232-234. 
an   asylum   for   Protestants,    236. 
Gentiles,  Paul  an  apostle  to,  328. 
Ceorge,   duke  of   Sa.xony,   denunciation  of 

papacy   by,    149,    150. 
Germany,   early   missionaries   to,    62, 

progress  of  Reformation  in,  120-170, 

185-210. 
proclamation   of    advent   message    in, 
363. 
Gethsemaue,   348. 


Gifts,  mental,  use  of,  509. 
God,  long-suffering  towatd  Israel,  27,  28. 
forbearance  of,  354.  495. 
as  Creator,   437,   438,   452.  •       ;  ,     ■ 
wisdom    of,    in    dealing    with  Ufebel- 
lion    of    S^tan,    497,    498.  ,,  ... 

character  of,   500,   541,   542.    "    ^' 
care    of,     for    His    people,    528-530, 

560,   621,    626,   627,    633,   634. 
love    of,    contrasted    with    cruelty    of 
Satan,   570. 
Goddess  of  Reason,    275,    276. 
Godliness,  revival  of,  before  end,  464. 
Gospel,    opposed    to    worldly    maxims,    47. 
advanced  by  death  of  Huss,   119. 
establishment  of,  in  Zurich,  179-181. 
acceptance  of,    in   France,    214,   215. 
preacljing     of^     committed     to     men, 

312. 
first    dissemination    of,    by    disciples, 

328. 
man    freed    from    condemnation    by, 
468. 
Government,    of    God,    founded    en    love, 
493. 
Satan's  efforts  against,  534,  ,591. 
laws  necessary  to,   584. 
see  also   United   States.      ',  ,,       ,         , 
Great    Britain,    progress   of  .Reformation 
in,    79-96.'  '  ''  '      '  ' 

see    also    England'-    Ctiurch   of    Eng- 
land. ■  ■    ■  ''■'   "'    •'"    '    "'   ' 

(Gregory  VTT.,  pope^,  tJerfeCtioti  6if  Roman 
Church  proclaimed  by,  57,  =97, 
581. 

Gregory    XT.,    death   of,    86. 

Gregory  XIII.,  attitude  of,  toward  St. 
Bartholomew    massacre,    2  73. 

GryniEus,  rescue  of,  by  Melanchthou,  205. 

Guardian  angel,  detailed  to  every  fol- 
lower of  Chrisf,   572. 

Guillotine    in   Franqe,    282. 

Guthrie,  Dr.  Thomas,  on  separation  of 
Presbrterian  Church  from  Rome, 
384. 

Haller,     182-184. 

Hamilton,    250. 

Heaven,    purity   and   holiness  of,    542. 

rebels    could   not    be  "happy   in,    542, 

543. 
sanctuary  in,  see  Sanctuary. 
HfiU,  false  theories  regarding,  536-537. 
Henry  IV.,  humiliation  of,  57,  58, 
Heresy,  44,   45,   58. 

the    council    of    Constance    designed 

to   root  out,    104. 
in   Roman    Catholic   Church,    58,   5*. 
in    America,    2i)3,    443. 
sound    doctrine    denouncedJ-'afil '  389. 
in    Panl's    day,    396.  '  '^  "^ 

accusations  of,  against  Protestants^ 
51;  Waldenses,  61,  76-78;  Wyc- 
liffe,  89,  90;  Huss.  100,  107; 
Jerome,  114;  Luther,  132,  133, 
196;  Berquin,  216. 
see  aluo  Error.  ' 


GENERAL   INDEX 


705 


Heretics,     attitude     of     Roman     Catholic 
Church    toward,     76-78,     104- 115, 
153,    154,    215-219,    577,    578. 
see   also    Persecution ;    Religious    lib- 
erty. 
Herod,   643. 
Hezekiah,   546. 

Holiness,     cannot    be     acquired     without 
obedience,    472,    473, 
perfecting,    488. 
see  also  Justification;   Sanctification. 

Holland,   Luther's  writings   circulated  in, 
139. 

Puritans  in,   290,   291. 
Holv   of   holies,    423-432. 

coming  of  Christ   to,   424-427,   480. 

work  of  Christ  in,   427-430,  433. 

see   also   Sanctuary. 
Holy  Spirit,  work  of,  343,  462. 

aid   of,    promised   to   sincere   seekers, 
52C. 

see    also    Pentecost ;    Spirit    of    God. 
Hopkins,    Dr.    Samuel,    on    corruption    in 

Protestant   churches,    384. 
Huguenots,  persecution   of,   227,   271-273. 

effect  of  flight  of,  on  France,  279. 
Humility,   477. 
Huss,  .John,  97-119. 

early  years  and  education  of,   98. 

conversion  of,    100. 

■writing,s  of  Wycliile  read  by,  9G,  99 

condemnation    of,    by  the    pope,    100. 

joined    by    .lerome    in    work    of    re- 
form,   102,    103. 

character   of,    103. 

used    as    God's    instrument,    103. 

summoned    to    council    of    Constance, 
104. 

letter  of,  to  friends  in  Prague,   105. 

letter    of,    to    converted    priest,    105, 
106. 

imprisonment  of,   106. 

courage    of,    107,    110. 

refusal   of,    to    recant,    108. 

martyrdom   of,    109,    110. 
Hypocrites   in   the   church,    396. 

Idolatry,   in  the  t^iarch,   42,   43. 

prevalence  of,   43,   514,   583. 

in  France,   276. 

in  Roman   Catholic  Church,   568. 

see  aluu  Image  worship. 
Ignorance,   of  Bible,   99,    195,   342. 

no  excuse  for  sin,   597,   598. 
Image  to  the  beast,  438,  442-445,  449. 

see   also   Mark   of  the   beast;    United 
States;    Protestants. 
Image  worship,  52,  65,  446. 

Immortality  of  the  soul,  natural,  taught 
by  the  Roman  Church,  58,  549; 
Satan's  first  deception,  5.'i  1-550; 
origin  and  falsity  of,  545,  549, 
588;  not  taught  in  Scriptures,  550. 
true,  when  to  be  conferred,  223,  322, 
323 ;  to  be  received  through 
obedience,   533. 


India,  Wolff's  travels  in,   360. 
Indulgences,   a  profitable   fabrication,   59, 
567. 
sale  of,  in  Germany,  by  Tetzel,   127- 
129;     in     Switzerland,     by     Sam- 
son,   178,    179. 
Luther's  famous  theses  against,  128, 
129. 
Infallibility,   of  Scriptures,   89,   173,   174. 
of    pope,    doctrine    of,    50,    57,    237. 

5G4. 
see  also   Gregory  VII. 
Infidelitv,    attacked  by   Luther,    120. 

prevalence    of,    281,    288,    461,    526, 

583     586 
in   France,    270,    274-277,   281,    285, 

288,   580,   587. 
Wm.     Miller    converted    from,     318, 

319. 
cause  of,  522. 
danger  from,   463,   600. 
see   also   Atheism ;    Deism. 
Innocent   III.,   581. 
Inquisition,   establishment  of,   59. 
in    France,    235. 

instruments    of,    a    means    of    "con- 
version,"   569. 
Intemperance,  result  of,  586,  589. 
Intercession    of   Chri.st,    482-484,    489. 
Interdict,     papal,     against     Prague,     100, 

101. 
Intolerance,  of  Pilgrims,  293. 
lona,   center  of  missionary   effort,   62. 

Sabbath    observed    on,     62. 
Ireland,   Christianity   in,    02. 
Isaiah,  an  example  of  tnie  sanctification, 

471. 
Israelites,    long-suffering   of   God   toward, 
19,    28. 
compared  to  a  goodly  vine,   20. 
apostasy   of,    21. 

great  sin  of,   rejection  of  Christ,   22. 
in  bondage,   lost  knowledge  of   God's 

law,    453. 
advent    believers    in    1844    compared 

to,    457-460. 
cause  of  rorty  years'   wandering  of, 

45j. 
enticed  ,ijrto  sin  by  association  with 

heathen,   508,   529,  530. 
see   also   Jews. 
Italy,   missionaries  sent   to,    62. 
persecution   in,    97. 
Luther's  writings   in,    139, 

Jacob,    Sabbath   kept   by,    453. 

experience      of,      at      Ijrook      Jabbok 
(Jacob's  trouble),   G10G22. 
.Teremiah,  distress  of,  over  .Jerusalem,  21. 

denounced    as    a    traitor.    458. 

fearlessly    opposed    wron(>,    520. 
Jerome,    99-119. 

character    of,    103. 

imprisonment  of,   in  Constance    110, 
111. 

sutferings  of.    111. 


23— G.  C. 


706 


GENERAL  INDEX 


Jerome  —  continued. 

recantation  and  repentance  of,    111- 

114. 
defense   of   Huss  by,    113. 
martyrdom    of,     115. 
Jerusalem,   destruction  of,    17-38. 
sorrow   of   Christ  over,    18-22. 
privileges    bestowed    upon,    19. 
symbol  of  rebellious   world,   22. 
strategic    location    of,    26. 
prophecies    against,    27. 
self-righteousness    of,     27. 
condition     of    society    in,     after    re- 
jection of  Christ,   28. 
besieged    by    Cestius,     30,     31;     by 

Titus,  31. 
sufferings  of  people  in,  during  siege, 

31-33. 
not    one    Christian    perished    in,    30. 
destruction       of,       foreshadows       de- 
struction of  world,  36-38. 
see   aiso    New   Jerusalem. 
Jesus,  see  Christ;  Messiah. 
Jesuits,  organization,  aims,  and  work  of, 
234,    235. 
in   France,    279. 
Jewish  church,  alliance  of,  with  heathen, 
382. 
leaders,     failure    of,     to    understand 
prophecies    of    first    advent,     312, 
313,    378. 
Jews,    woe   upon,    30. 

sufferings   of,    during   siege    of   Jeru- 
salem,   31-33.    35. 
Sabbath   laws   of,    52. 
sinful    ignorance    of,    regarding    first 

advent,    313. 
fate    of,    sealed    by    rejection    of    gos- 
pel,   328. 
seventy  weeks   allotted  to,   in  i)roph- 

ecy,    328,    345. 
proclamation     of    second     advent    to, 

by   Joseph    Wolff,    359-362. 
spiritual    darkness    of,    377,    378. 
worldliness    of,     in    time    of    Christ, 

378. 
formalism  of,   378. 
rejection     of     prophetic     truths     by, 

378. 
refusal  of,   to  receive  light,   430. 
rejection   of,   by   God,   431. 
satisfied      with      religion      of      their 

fathers,    454. 
spirit    of,    revealed    in    rejection    of 

Christ,    506. 
ceremonies  of,   508. 
God's     presence     withdrawn      from, 

615. 
guilt  of,    628. 
see    also    Israelites ;    Jerusalem. 

Job,    affliction   of,    .'SO. 

an     example     of    true     sanctification, 
471. 
John  the   Baptist,   Wycliffe   compared   to, 

93. 
John,    duke   and  elector  of   Saxony,    199. 
signs    Confession    at    Augsburg,    207. 
Luther's  letter  to,  209,  210. 


John    XXIII.,   pope,    summoned   to   coun- 
cil of  Constance,    104. 
character  of,    104,   106. 
Huss   imprisoned   by   order   of,    106. 
committed   to    same   prison,    106. 
Jonah,   406. 
Joseph,   626. 
Judas,    failure    of,    to    learn    lessons    of 

Christ,   43,   44. 
Judgment,   warning  of,    353. 
message,    extent    of,    361. 
preparation    for,    436. 
law   of   God  the   standard  in,   482. 
time    of,    548. 

the  investigative:  352,  353,  422- 
429,  436,  479-491;  opening  of. 
announced  bv  message  of  first 
angel,  355,  356,  486;  Daniel's 
vision  of,  479;  only  cases  of  pro- 
fessing Christians  considered  in, 
480 ;  righteous  dead  not  raised 
till  after,  482;  work  of  Christ 
in,  483-485 ;  work  of  Satan  in, 
484;  work  of,  finished  before 
second  advent,  485 ;  close  scru- 
tiny of,  428,  486-488;  should  be 
clearly  understood  by  people  of 
God,  488,  489;  progress  of,  489- 
491.  See  also  First  angel's 
message. 
the      executive:      425,      426,      503; 

scenes    of,    665-673. 
of  wicked,  going  on  in  heaven  during 
thousand   years,    480,    660,    661. 
Judgments   of   God,    543,    627,    628. 
Justice,  courts  of,  corruption  in,  586. 
Justice  of  God,   shown   in  punishment  of 
wicked,    541-544. 
arknowledged    by    the    lost,    668;    by 
Satan,     609,     670. 
Justification  by  faith,  revealed  to  Luther, 
125. 
held  by  Huss,    140. 
learned  by  Wesley,    253-256. 
see  also  Faith. 
Justification    bv   works,    55,    56,    73,    83, 
123,  253,  255,  250. 

Kingdom,    when    the    saints    will    inherit, 

322. 
reception    of,    by    Christ,    427,    479. 

480. 
of   God,   when   set   up,    323. 
of   glorv,    347. 
of  grace,  347,   348. 
Knox,   John,   work   of,    in    Scotland,   250, 

251. 
conflict   of,    with    Queen    Mary,    250, 

251. 
belief     of,      in     second      coming     of 

Christ,    303. 

Laborers,  to  be  qualified  by  Holy  Spirit, 

in   latter    rain,    600. 
Lacunza,    work    of,     in     South    America, 

363. 
Latimer,   supremacy   of   Bible   upheld  by, 

248,    249. 
martyrdom  of,  249. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


707 


Latter    rain,    power    attending,    Cll-613. 
Liiw,  ceremonial,  abrogation  of,  by  death 

of    Christ,    328. 
Law,     moral,     the     foundation     of     God's 

government,    GO. 
immutabilitv    of,     66,    433-450,    454, 

46G,    467,    503. 
not   abrogated   by    Christ,    260.    46G- 

468. 
sacredness    of,    433,    434. 
perpetuity   of,    434,    453. 
unerring   rule   of   life,   452. 
knowledge    of,    preserved    in    earth, 

453. 
nature   of,    467. 
defended    by    Wesley,    262-264. 
in   ark   in   heavenly   sanctuary,   433, 

434. 
reveals   sin,    467,    468. 
blessings    in    obedience    to,    478. 
Standard   of   character   in   judgment, 

482. 
how    regarded    by    religious    leaders, 

465,      466;      by      prophets      and 

apostles,    466. 
to    be    rejected    by    Christian    world, 

22. 
changes    made    In,    by    Roman    Cath- 
olic Church,    52,    65,   446. 
result  of  believing  it  abolished,   260- 

262. 
trampled    underfoot    by    Rome,     65, 

453 ;    by    Prance,    274,    285,    286. 
result   of   disobeying,    478. 
result   of   setting    aside,    584-588. 
Satan's    object,    to    lead    into    trans- 
gression   of,    582. 
widespread   belief    in    abrogation    of, 

584,    585. 
light   on,    to   be    given    to   all,    C05. 
wicked    see    in     hand    of    Christ     at 

second   advent,    639,    668. 
see      also       Fourth       commandment : 

Sabbath;     Sanctuary;     Temple     in 

heaven. 
Laws,    oppressive,    to   be    enacted    in    the 

United    States,    442. 
Laymen,     advent     message     largely     pro- 
claimed by,   380. 
Lefevre,    first    in   France    to   receive   Ref- 
ormation,  212. 
teachings   of,    213. 
translation    of    New    Testament    by, 

214. 
i.eopard    beast     of    Revelation     thirteen, 

interpretation    of,     139,    578. 
characteristics    of,    446. 
see  also  Beast. 
Lessons    in     God's     dealings     with    men, 

343,    344. 
Liberality    in    religious    belief,    sometimes 

danger  in,   520-522. 
Liberty,     civil    and    religious,     Wycliffe's 

struggle    for,    80. 
end    of    religious,    in    Bohemia,    118. 
secured  by  edict  of  Spires,  197,  198. 
in    Germany,    200,    201. 
goes  with  Bible.  265,  270,  277,  281, 

285. 


Liberty  —  continued. 

not    license,    281,    284. 

rejection  of  principles  of,  by  France, 

265,    276,   277,    281,    285. 
false  ideas  of,   522,   535. 
in    God's    law,    285,    466-468. 
carnal,    559. 
of   conscience   once   valued  by   Prot* 

estants,   563. 
see      also      Persecution:      Puritans; 
Religious    liberty;    United    States. 
Li°-ht   of   truth,    result   of  rejecting,    164, 
165,  378,  431,  456,  458-460,  583, 
597. 
importance    of    receiving,    344,    408. 
to    be    faithfully    disseminated,    459, 
460. 
Liquor-dealers,       influence      of      Miller's 

preaching   on,    332. 
Lisbon  earthquake,  304,  305. 
Litch,    Josiah,    prediction    of,     regarding 
fall  of  Ottoman  empire,  334,   335. 
Literature,    circulation   of,   by   Waldenses, 
70,   71. 
in    time    of    Wvcliffe,    84,    85,    87-89, 

94. 
in    Bohemia,    96,    97,    99,    100,    119. 
in    time    of    Luther,    139,    140,    160, 

169,    194. 
in    Switzerland,    178. 
in   France,    214,    215,   231. 
in   Geneva,    236. 
in   Scotland,   249. 
see  also  Books ;   Writings. 
Little  horn  of  Daniel  seven,  446. 

see  also  Leopard  beast. 
Lollards,  persecution  of,  94,  95. 

Lollard  towers,   95. 
Lord's    day,    see    Sabbath;    Fourth    com- 
mandment ;      Sunday;      Roman 
Catholic    Church. 
Lord's    supper,    supplanted   by   the   mass, 

59. 
Lot,   escape  of,   431,   512. 
Lotteries,    387. 

Louis  XV.,  selfishness  of,  280. 
Louis  XVI.,  execution  of,  230. 
Lucian,    178. 

Lucifer,    the   originator  of  evil,    493-499. 
desire    of,    to    penetrate    secret    pur- 
poses of  God,  523. 
see   also    Satan. 
Luther,   Martin,    120170,    185-210. 

early    years,    parentage,    and    train- 
ing of,    120-122. 
study  of   Scriptures  by,    122,    123. 
work    of,    in    University    of    Witten- 
berg,   124126,    128,    139. 
visit  of,  to  Rome,    124,   125. 
accepts   doctrine  of  righteousness  by 

faith,    125. 
the.ses   of,    against   indulgences,    129, 

130. 
efforts    of    Rome    against,     131-137, 

140-144. 
trial   of,    at    Augsburg,    135-137. 
refusal  of,   to  recant.    136. 


708 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Luther  —  continued. 

escape  of,  from  Augsburg,   137. 

■wide    influence   of   writings  of,    139, 
140,    194. 

crisis    in   work    of,    141-143. 

courage    of,    141,    142,    151-153. 

final  separation  of,  from  Rome,   143. 

journey   of,    to   Worms,    151-153. 

before    the    Diet,    155-161. 

prayer    of,    157. 

refusal     of,      to      compromise      with 
Rome,    165,    166. 

edict  of  Rome  against,   167. 

seclusion     of,     in     Wartburg    castle, 
168,    169. 

saved  from  self-exaltation,   169,   170. 

efforts  of,  against  fanaticism  at  Wit- 
tenberg,   188  193. 

translation    of    New    Testament    by, 
193. 

resort    to    .secular    power    for    pro- 
tection,   opposed    by,    209. 

belief  of,  in  second  coming  of  Christ, 
303. 

on  time  of   the  judgment,   356. 

on  state  of  the   dead,   549. 
Lutterworth,   see  Wycliffe. 

Magi,  rank,  learning,  and  wealth  of,  315. 
Hebrew    Scriptures    understood    by, 

315. 
watching   for   the   Messiah,    315. 
light   heeded  by,    316. 
Man,    nature    of,    at    creation,    467. 
Satan    plots    ruin    of,    531. 
looking  to,  in  place  of  God,  59.''>. 
"Man   of  sin,"   developed  by   comproniisn 
between    paganism    and    Christian- 
ity,  50,  266.     (S'ee  Papacy. 
Margaret,    sister    of    Francis    I.,    a   Prot- 
estant,   214. 
protector     of     Protestants,     221-224. 
Mark  of  the  beast,   sign   of  allegiance   to 
Rome,    445-450,   579,   627. 
how    received,    604,    605. 
see  also  Image;   Protestants;  United 
States. 
Marks    of   the   crucifixion,    Christ   always 

to  bear,  674. 
Marriage  as  a  svmbol.  381,  382. 

supper  of  the   Lamb,   427,   428. 
Martyrs,  early  Christian,  40,  47. 
in  the  sixth  century,  54,  55. 
by  the  Inquisition,   in  the  thirteenth 

century,     59. 
no  fear  of  death  in,   74. 
in   England,    94,    95,    247.   249,   252. 
in  Bohemia,   98,   109,   110,   114,   115, 

254. 
in   Switzerland,    180. 
in    German  V,    211. 
in    France,    217,    218,    220,    225-230, 

271,    282. 
in  Meaux,   215. 
in  the  Netherlands,  233,  240. 
in   Scotland,    249,    250. 
Mary,    Queen   of   Scots,    and  -John   Knox, 

250.    251. 
Mass   (or  Eucharist),  59,  189,  190. 


Meaux,    Reformation   in,    214,    215,    219. 
Mediator,    Christ    as,    74,    75,    126,    133. 
488. 
when   man    will   be   without   a,    425. 
Melanchthon,   the  friend  of  Luther,    134, 
151,    210. 
perplexed    by    fanaticism.    187. 
rescues   Grynseus,    205. 
Augsburg   Confession   drawn   up  by, 

196-206. 
on  second  advent,   303, 
Mendicants,  see  Friars. 
Menno   Simons,    work   of,   238,   239. 
Mercy  of  God,  to  first  disciples,   343. 
door   of,    open,    429,    430,    435. 
shown  in   destruction  by   flood,   543. 
Message    of    Revelation     eighteen,    when 
given,    390,    603. 
condition  of  world  under,   603,   604. 
see  also  First  angel's  message ;    Sec- 
ond   angel's    message ;    Third    an- 
gel's  message;    Advent   Movement. 
Messiah,    prophecies    of,    326,    327,    345, 
346,   410. 
first   advent  of,   explained  to   Joseph 

Wolff,    357-359. 
Jews   ignorant  of  coming  of,    378. 
see   also   Christ ;    First   advent. 
Meteoric   shower,   see   Stars. 
Methodists,    origin    of,    257. 

character    of,     in    days    of    Wesley, 

259. 
persecution    of,    259, 
see  also   Weslt^y. 
Middle  Ages,    66,    572. 

see  also  Dark  Ages. 
Midnight,   God's  people  delivered  at,  636. 

of    tiie    world    (figurative).    60. 
Midnight  cry.    398-408,    426,    427. 

impelling  power  of,    402. 
Millennium,      temporal,     not     taught     'n 
Bible,   321. 
effect  of  belief  in,   321. 
condition   of  eartli   during,    653-660. 
see  also  Thousand  years. 
Miller.    William,    317-342. 

earlv   vears    and    character   of.    317, 

318,    335. 
conversion    of,    from    infidelity,    319. 
studv   of   Bible   by,    319-330. 
called    to   preach,    330,    331. 
work  of,  331,    332,   368-375. 
associates  of,    in  labors,   335. 
opposition    to,    by   religious   teachers, 

335-337. 
protected   by    angels,    337. 
wrong  conclusion  of,    regarding  end 

of    2300    days,    351-353. 
proclamation   of  second   advent   mea 

sage    committed    to,    368. 
attitude  of,   toward  fanaticism,    396, 

397. 
see    also    Advent    Movement;     First 
angel's    message. 
Mind,  when  under  control  of  Satan,   59, 
a  law  of  the,  555. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


709 


Ministers,    training    of,    by    Vaudois,    70, 

'71. 
influence    of    popular,    in    undermin- 
ing faith    in    Bible,    836. 
errors   taught    by,    536. 
not    infallible,    ,596,    507. 
leaning  on,   for  religious  belief,   59C. 
harvest  from  false  teachings  of,  654, 

655. 
see   also   Preaching. 
Ministration,  of  earthly  priests,  413,  418- 
422. 
of    Christ,     413,     415-417,     420-422, 

480,    482-485,    488-491. 
of  angels,   480,   482,   486,   487,   511. 
Miracles,  of  Christ;  casting  out  of  devils, 
at    Gadara,    514,    515;    man    pos- 
sessed,    blind     and     dumb,     515; 
youth  who   had   dumb  spirit,   515; 
demoniac    at    C:i])ernaum,    5i6. 
of  healing,    to   be   performed   in   time 

of   trouble,    612,    024. 
so-called,    in   support   of   Sunday   ob- 
servance,     575-577;      through 
agency      of      Spiritualism,      588 ; 
counterfeit,    593;    of    Satan,    612, 
624. 
Missionary  spirit,  the  spirit  of  Christ,  70. 
Missionaries,   Waldonsian,    70-76. 
in     Kiijibind,    87,    94. 
Whifefield      and      the      Wesleys      in 

America,    254. 
see      al.so      Colporteurs;       Writings; 
Wolflf. 
Missions,    foreign,    growth   of,    287. 
Monasteries,    82-84. 
Money,   Wesley  on  riglit  use  of,   385. 

how  squandered  by  professed  Chris- 
tians,   475. 
used  in  self-indulgence,   488. 
Monks,    82-85. 

see  also  Friars;  Monasteries. 
Moon,    darkening  of,    305-308. 

see   also    Signs. 
Moravians,   churches  of,    119. 
in   storm   at   sea,    254,    255. 
Wesley's  stay  among,   255,   256. 
Morin,    225,    226. 
Moses,  writer  of  Pentateuch,   434. 
Munsterites,    239. 
Munzer,    191-193. 
Myconius,    183. 
Mysteries,    revealed,    341,    599. 

unrevealcd,    522. 
itfystery  in   God's  providences,   47,   48. 
Mystery    of    iniquity,    work    of,    in    early 
church,    49,    384,    385. 

National    prosperitv,    foundation    of,    277- 

279,    285,    286. 
National    reform    movement,    587. 
Nature,   worship  of,   522,   583. 
Nehemiah,    56. 
Nero,   character  of,    78. 


Nero  —  rontiniied. 

among  Satan's  host,  at  end  of  world, 

667. 
mother  of,  667. 
Netherlands,  progress  of  Reformation  in, 

237-240. 
New   birth,    results    of,    468. 
New  earth,    description   of,    675-678. 
New  England,   as  an  asylum  for  the  op- 
pressed,   295,    296. 
advent   message   in,    332. 
Now   Jerusalem,   as   the   bride,    426,   427. 
righteous    welcomed    to,     646,     647, 

665. 
descends   from   heaven,    663. 
effort  of  Satan  to  conquer,  663,  664. 
metropolis  of   new  earth,    676. 
New  Testament,  see  Bible,  translations  of. 
Nineveh,  Jonah's  message  to,  406. 
Noah,     me-ssage    of,     337-339,     371,     431, 
491. 
Sabbath   kept  by,    453. 
Nobles,  of  France,  279,  280. 

Obedience,    blessings    of,    476. 
OOcolampadius,     character    and    work    of, 

182-184. 
death   of,    212. 
OlTcrings,    sec    Sanctuary. 
Olivetan,    cousin   of  Calvin,    220. 
One    hundred     and    forty-four     thousand, 

song   of,    648. 
Open   door,   see  Door  of  mercy. 
Oppression,     see     Dark     Ages;     Papacy; 

Persecution. 
Ottoman    empire,    fall    of,    predicted    by 

Litch,   334,   335. 

Paganism,    union    of,    with    Christianity, 

43,   50,   52. 
persecutions    under,     39-48. 
errors   of,    in    Christian    church,    58. 
Pagan   Rome,   in   prophecy,   438. 

authority   of,    transferred   to    papacy, 

54,    439. 
see   also   Dragon. 
Palestine,   travels  of  Wolff  in,   360. 
Pajjacy,   establishment  of,   50,   54. 

supremacy   of,    50,    51,    60,    82,    126, 

251,   453,   573,   581. 
condition  of  world  under,  60. 
arrogance   of,    50,    60. 
attitude  of,  toward  Waldenses,  76-78. 
efforts  of,  to  silence  Wycliffe,  85,  86. 
the   great  schism   in,    86,    87,    103. 
how    represented    in    prophecv,    438, 

439,   445,   446,   578. 
special    characteristic    of,    446. 
how     Protestants     pav     homage     to, 

442.    447,    448. 
attempt    of,    to    change   law   of    God, 

52,    446. 
character  and  aims  of,  562-581. 
infallibility  claimed  by,   50,  57,  564. 
in  the  United  States.   564,  573. 
future  success   of,   566,   572. 


710 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Papacy  —  continued. 

an  attractive  religion,   566. 

right  to  pardon   sin,   claimed  bv,    83, 

567. 
compared   to   Jewisii    church,    568. 
cruelty  of,    569-571. 
false    science    to    prepare    way    for, 

573. 
to    regain    power,    578-581. 
see  also  Pope;   Popes;   Roman  Cath- 
olic   Church;    Traditions. 
Parable,    of    ten    virgins,    393-395,    398, 
400,    402,    426-428. 
of    marriage    supper,    428. 
Pardon    for    sin,    claimed    bv    Rome,    83, 
567. 
obtained    only    through    Christ,    126. 
Paris,   the  Reformation   in,   212-230. 

conditions    in,    at    Revolution,     279, 
283. 
Park,   Edwards  A.,   on  law  of  God,   465, 

466. 
Passover    lamb,     Christ    represented    bv, 

399. 
Pastors,   trusting  to,    for   religious   belief, 
380,    65,'). 
see  also   Ministers. 
Paul,    conversion    of,    328. 

commission  of,   to  ftentiles,   328. 

heresy  in   days  of,   396. 

warning    of,    to    Thessalonians,    456. 

accusation   against.    458. 

an    e.xample    of    true    sanctification, 

471. 
protected   by   angels,    512. 
courageous    opposer   of    wrong,    520. 
in    the   New   Jerusalem,    667. 
Penalty,    civil,    to    bo    inflicted    for    keep- 
ing law  of   God,    459. 
Penance,    56. 

Pentecost,    351;    experience    of   last   days 
similar   to,    611. 
see  also   Holy   Spirit. 
People  of  God,  suppression  of  history  of, 
during    Dark    Ages,    61. 
contrasted   with   worshipers   of   beast 

and   image,    445,    446. 
distinguished    by    regard    for    fourth 

commandment,    446. 
during  great  dav  of  atonement,  490, 

491,     601,     602. 
protected   by   angels,    513,   517,   630- 

632. 
care  of  God  for,   528-530,  560,   621, 

626,    627,    631-634. 
denounced  as  cause  of  disasters,  590- 

592,    614,    615. 
trial  of,   to  the  utmost,   618. 
persecution    of,    619. 
faith   of,    619,    621,    622. 
anxiety  of,   over  past  sins,    619-621. 
seek    for   perfection    in    Christ,    622, 

623. 
deliverance    of,    635-652. 
rainbow  about  companies  of,   636. 
translation    of,    645,    646. 
see     also     Christians;      Persecution; 
Redeemed;    "Time   of  trouble." 


Persecution,    Christ's   followers   to   suffer, 
39,    143,    144,    507,    610. 
in   first   centuries,    39-48. 
a    means    of    keeping    church    pure, 

44,    48. 
reasons    for,    to    be    left    with    God, 

47,    48,    609. 
why   not   seen   to-day,    48. 
during    1260    year.s,    55,    266,    439; 

cut   short,    266,    267. 
truth    extended    bv,    96,     196,    219, 

240,   250,   252. 
of   Waldenses,    65,    78,    97. 
of  Wvcliffe,  89,   90,  609. 
of   Lollards,   94,    95. 
of    Huss,    100-109,    609. 
of    Luther,     137-143,     145-167,     609. 
in   Germany,    196. 
of  French  Protestants,  223-226,  271- 

273,    278. 
of    believers     in     Netherlands,     239, 

240. 
of    Wesley    and    his    followers,    258, 

259,    609. 
of    Puritans,    290. 
of    advent    believers,    372. 
of     Sabbath-keepers,     607-609 
see  n/.s'o   Heretics. 
Persia,    Wolff's   travels    in,    360. 
Peter,  protected  by  angels,  512. 
Petri,   Olaf  and   Laurentius,   242-244. 
Pharaoh,    251,    269,    275. 
Pharisees,    ignorance    of,    regarding    Mes- 
siah,   314. 
Philosophy,   pagan,    in   the   church,   58. 

human,     126,    522. 
Physical    righteousness,     473-475. 
Piedmont,  see   Waldenses. 
Pilate,   164. 

Pilate's  staircase,    125. 
Pilgrim    Fathers,    see    Puritans. 
"Pilgrim's  Progress,"   252. 
Pius  IX.,  pope,   564. 
Plagues,   of  Egypt,    627,   628. 

of  last  days,   628,   629. 
Plan   of  salvation,    revealed  in   Bible,   81. 
under   the    guidance   of    God,    343. 
culmination    of,    486. 
to   be    study   of   redeemed,    651. 
Pleasure-seeking,    387. 
Policy  in  religious  matters,   460. 
Political    corruption,    586,    592. 
Pope,    arrogant  claims  of,   50,    51,    56. 
authority    claimed    by,    50,    57,    261, 

580. 
acknowledged    as    God's    vicegerent, 

51,    53,    102,    140. 
faith  transferred  from  Christ  to,  55. 
impeachment    of,    237. 
led   into   captivity,    439. 
see    also    Papacy;     Roman    Catholic 
Church. 
Popes,  great  schism  of,  86,  87,  103,  104. 
Prague,    Reformation    in,    99,    100,    104. 
placed    under    interdict,     100,     101, 
104. 


GENERAL  INDEX 


711 


Prayer,  necessity  of,  in  Biblo  study,   132, 
599,    600. 
Luther's    belief    in,    156,    157,    209, 

210. 
power  of,   210. 
lack   of,    373,    488. 
necessity  for,   525,   530,   601. 
in  time 'of  trouble,  621,  622. 
Preaching,    of   Luther,    152. 

of    Zwingle,     174-177,     180. 
of   Farel   and   Froinent,    232. 
of   Joseph    Wolff,    359-362. 
of  children  in  Scandinavia,  366,  367. 
of   advent   truths,    in    1844,    400-408. 
of    unpopular    truths,    458-460. 
see  also   Ministers. 
Predestination,    261. 
Present    truth,    in    days   of   Luther,    14:;. 

in   our  <\ay,    143,    144. 
Presumption,    59. 
Priests,  at  har  of  God,   668. 
see  also  Friars ;  Monks. 
Priests  and  rulers,  rejection  of  Christ  by, 
595. 
ministers    of    today    compared   with, 
596. 
Printing,  art  of,  61,  SS',  288. 
of   Tyndale's   Bible,    247. 
see   also    Books. 
Prison-house  of   Satan,   659. 
Prizes,  oflfering  of,  a  species  of  gambling, 

387. 
Probation,    close   of,    428,    429. 

no    future,    662. 
Procopius,     116-118. 

Prophecy,    importance   of   study   of,    341, 
342,    344,    345. 
consolation    in,    391-394. 
study    of,    by    William    Miller,    320- 
329 ;    by   prophets,    344 ;    by   Gaus- 
sen,  365;  by  Adventists,  391,  423. 
fulfilled     by     Miller     and     his     asso- 
ciates,    405. 
of    1260   years,   54,    266,   439. 
of     2300     years,     324-329,     351-353, 
398,  409,  410,  417,  429,  457,  486. 
of  the   "two   witnesses,"   266-287. 
to  be  understood,   340,   341,   521. 
of    first    advent,    not    understood   by 

disciples,    346,    347. 
srr  also  Beasts;   Chronology;  Proph- 
ecies;   Signs. 
Prophecies,    of   destruction   of   Jerusalem, 
21,    22,    25-27,    30. 
of  second  advent,  299-302,  310,  311, 

320-329. 
failure  of  Jews  to  understand,   313- 

316,     344-346. 
concerning    first    advent,     fulfilment 

of,    344-348,    405,    424-429. 
of    Daniel    and    the    Revelation,    not 
mysteries,  340-342,  365,  380,  594. 
fulfilled,    391-408. 
on  Sabbath  reform,  451-453. 
.    iree  also  Chronology;  Papacy;  Proph- 
ecy;   "Time    of    trouble;"    United 
States. 


Protest,  of  early  Christians,  95. 

of  the  Princes,  197-204;  text  of, 
202-204;   effect  of,   203,   204. 

Protestantism,    vital    principles    of,     197, 

202,    203,    291,    441. 
dangers  of,   211,   234,  235. 
strength   of,    236. 
apostasy     of,     297,     298,     384-390, 

444,    571. 
to     clasp     hands    with     Spiritualism 

and    Catholicism,    588. 

Protestants,    rise   of,    204,    205. 

persecution   of,   in  France,   225,   230. 

menaced  by  powerful   foes,   234. 

increasing  favor  shown  to  Rome  by, 
563,     566. 

homage  paid  to  Rome  by,  in  Sunday- 
keeping,    447,    448. 

following  in  steps  of  Rome,  383, 
384,   443,   523,   573. 

Protestant   churches,    rise   of,    383. 
daughters   of    Rome,    382. 
fall   of,    383,    389. 

many  true  Christians  in,  383,  390. 
seeking  aid  of  secular  power,  383. 
union    of,    upon    common    points    of 

doctrine,    444,    445. 
seeking  favor  of  world,    571. 
Punishment,   of  rich,   653,   654. 

of    unfaithful    pastors     and    people, 

654-657. 
of   Satan,    658-660. 
of  wicked,  666,   673. 

Purgatory,   doctrine  of,   58,   59. 

an  invention  of  paganism,  58. 
Puritans,    280-298. 

persecution  of,   in   England,   290. 

flight  of,   from   England,    290. 

departure  of,  from  Holland,  291-293. 

intolerance   of,    293. 

character   of  early,    296. 

regard  of,   for   Bible,    296. 

Rainbow,    seen    in   time   of   trouble,    636. 
Reason,    worship    of,    193. 

in   France,    275,    276. 
Rebellion,   of  Lucifer,    493-500,   503. 

spirit    of,    500,     502. 
Rrchabites,    Wolff   visits,    362. 
Reconciliation,  467,  468. 
Records,    of   Inquisition,    59.    61,    62. 

in  books  of  heaven,  59,  61,  486,  487. 

see  also  Books. 

Redeemed,  entrance  of,  into  New  Jeru- 
salem,   646,    617. 

song  of,    649-651,    665. 

triumph   of,    650. 

home  of,    674-678. 

hold  open  communion  with  God, 
676,    677. 

education  of,   677,   678. 

Reformation,      foundation      of,      laid     by 

Wycliffe,    92-94. 
advancement  of,    148,    186,   197. 
efforts     of     Satan     to     counterfeit, 

186  192. 


712 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Reformation  —  continued. 

friends  of,  protected  bv  angels,  205- 
208. 

threatened  by  grave  dangers,  206, 
200. 

brought  to  notice  of  great  men,  208. 

progress  of,  in  Great  Britain,  70- 
96,  245-253;  in  Germany,  1-0- 
170,  185-210;  in  Switzerland, 
171-184,  232-234;  in  France, 
214-224;  in  Netherlands  and 
Scandinavia.    237-244. 

France  warned  against,  by  pope, 
277. 

extent    of,    265. 

work  of,  to  restore  Bible  to  people, 
388. 

obstacles  met  by,   396. 

nee     also     Calvin;      IIiiss;     Luther; 
Protestantism;     Protestants;    Tyn- 
dale ;    Wycliffe;    Zwingle. 
Reformers,   'Wvcliflfe   one  of  the  greatest, 
94. 

character    of,    94,    171,    243,    244. 

work  of,   606. 

belief  of,  in  second  coming  of 
Christ,    302,    303. 

*fc  also  Onlvin ;  Huss;  Jerome; 
Knox;  Ijatimer;  Luther;  Me- 
Innclillion ;  Wycliflfe;  Zwingle; 
etc. 
Roign  of  Terror,  273,  282. 
Ueligion,  profession  of,  has  become  pop- 
ular,   386. 

formality    in.    5.5. 

the   sport   of    infidels,    463. 

Satan's    counterfeit   of,    464. 

IJure,    defined,    4  74. 
Religious   liberty,    termed   heresy,    45. 

in    Germany,     197-205. 

in    Holland,    240. 

in    Reformed    countries,    244. 

believed  in  by  Puritans,  291-298. 

upheld  by   Roger  Williams,    293-295. 

in    United    States,    441,    443. 

merely   endured   by    Rome,    565. 

God's    way    of    ^yorking,    591. 

see   alto   Conscience;    Heretics;    Per- 
secution;     Puritans;      Toleration; 
United    States. 
Religious   worship   prohibited   in   France, 

274. 
Remission   of  sin,    in  sanctuaiT  services, 

417,  418. 
Repentance,  468. 
Republicanism,    a    fundamental    principle 

of  the   United   States,   441. 
Resurrection   of   the  dead,    322. 

of  Christ,  wave-sheaf  a  tj^e  of,  399. 

the   first,    482,    544. 

the  first  and  second,  distinction 
between,    544. 

doctrine  of,  why  neglected,   547. 

special,  of  Sabbath-keepers,  637 ;  of 
those    who    crucified    Christ,    63  7. 

of    righteous,    644. 

of    wicked,    661,    662. 
Revelation,    book    of,    studied    by    Miller, 
320. 


Revelation  —  continned. 

to   be  understood,    341.    342. 
relation   of,   to  book  of  Daniel,   341. 
Revivals,    modern,    461-478. 

results    of    genuine,    461,    462. 
popular,    463,    464. 
secret  of  lack  of  power  in,   465. 
Revolution,   see  French  Revolution. 
Rich,   punishment  of,   654. 
Richard  IL,   89. 
Ridley,   248,    303. 
Righteousness   by   faith,    see   Justification 

by   faith. 
Robbing  God,    475. 
Robinson,    Pastor    John,    address    of,    to 

Puritans,    291,    292. 
Roman   Catholic  Church,   development  of, 
50-60,    580. 
claims   of,    261,   564,    567,    580,    596. 
cu.stoms    in,    49. 

attitude    of,    toward    Bible,    51,    81, 
89,    97,    195,    235,    236,    265,    269, 
340,    388. 
errors  introduced  bv,  58,  59,  82-84, 

536. 
records  of  persecution,   61,   62,   563, 

570,    571. 
condition    of,    in    time    of    Wycliffe, 

86;    Hubs,    103;   Luther,    149. 
Luther's    separation    from,     120-143. 
defended    by    Alcander,    147-149. 
efforts    of,    against    Luther,    137-141, 

145-167. 
description  of,  as  Babylon,  382,  383; 
as    leopard    beast,    179,    439,    578. 
result   of    revolt   against,    in   France, 

283-285. 
sign   of   authority   of,    446-448,    573. 
true    Christians    in,     449,     565. 
Protestants    following    in    steps    of, 

383,    384,    443,    523,    573. 
gaining    in    favor    with    Protestants, 

563,    572-574,    580,    581. 
popularity   of,    566,    571. 
schools     of,     patronized     by     Protes- 
tants,   566. 
worship  of,   attractive,   566,   567. 
in    comparison    with   Jewish    church, 

568. 
idolatry   in,    568. 
means  used  by,  to  compel  obedience, 

569. 
reserves    right     to     interpret     Scrip- 
tures,  596. 
see  also  Papacy ;   Pope. 
Rome,    the   seat   of   papal   power,    54. 
visit  of  Luther  to,   124,   125. 
visit  of  bishops  to,  237. 
Rulers,   corruption  among,   586. 
Russia,    proclamation    of    advent    message 
in,   364. 

Sabbath,   memorial   of   creation,   54,   455. 
authority    of,    455. 
observed    throughout    the    ages,    52, 

61-65,    453. 
set   aside   for   Sunday,    53. 
hatred  of  Rome  for,  64,  65. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


713 


Sabbath  —  continued. 

abolished    in    France,    274. 

Btudy   of,    by   advent   believers,    434, 

435. 
importance    of,    437,    438. 
a    sign    of    creative    power    of    God, 

54,    436-438. 
change    of,    447,    448,    452. 
not    changed   by   Christ,    447. 
no  authority  in  Bible  for  change  of, 

447. 
promises  to  observers  of,  451-453. 
arguments  against,   454,  455,   587. 
divine    authority    of,     acknowledged 

by  Romanists,   447,   577. 
disasters  attributed  to  observance  of, 

590. 
test  of  loyalty  to  God,   605. 
gee      also      Fourth      commandment; 
Law     of     God;      Sabbath-keepers; 
Sunday. 
Sabbath-keepers,    in   all   ages,    52,   453. 
in    1844,    434,    435. 
work    of,    454,     603-606,     609,     611, 

612. 
among   Waldenses,    577. 
persec\itii)n     of,     by     enemies,     592, 
607-GlO,     626,     627;     by     former 
brethren,    608. 
denounced     as     cause    of     disasters, 

590,   592,   614,   615. 
decree    to    be    issued    against,     615, 

616,   626,   631,   635. 
experience    of,    in    time    of    trouble, 

616-634. 
the  mountains  afford  refuge  for,  626. 
special    resurrection    of,    637. 
triumph    of,    638-6  10. 
see   nlun   Christians;    People   of   God; 
Redeemed ;    Sabbath. 
Sabbath   reform,    451-456,    587. 
Sacrifice  of  the  mass,   59,    189,   190. 
Sacrifices,   see   Sanctuary. 
Sacrificing  for  Christ,   387. 
Safe-conduct,     of     Huss,     105-107,     163. 

of   Luther,    150,    154,    163. 
Saloons,      closed      ns     effect     of     Miller's 

preaching,    332. 
Samson,    indulgence-monger    in     Switzer- 
land,   178,    179. 
Sanctification,    true,    work    of,    465,    467, 
469,     470,     473;      how     attained, 
469,     470;     nature     of,     470;     as 
set    forth    in    the    Scriptures,    473, 
474;     fruits     of,     477,     478;     ex- 
amples  of,    470,    471. 
false,     in     Luther's     dav,     193;      in 
last  days,  469,  471-473,   415.     . 
Sanctuary,    in    tvpe    and    antitype,    409- 
432. 
not   the   earth,    411. 
study   of,    by   Adventists,   411-415. 
key    to    meaning    of    disappointment 

in    1844,   423,   4.^1,   432. 
should    be    clearly    understood,    488- 

490. 
earthly,      description      of,      411-415; 
a   pattern    of   heavenly,    414,    415; 
services   in,   a  type,    417-420,   428, 


Sanctuary  —  continued. 

433,  435;  cleansing  of,  328,  352, 
410,  417,  418,  426;  services  in, 
continued  after  crucifixion,  615. 
heavenly,  services  in,  413-415,  420- 
422,  "428-431,  433,  435;  advent 
believers  directed  to,  424,  425 ; 
ministration  in  first  apartment  of, 

421,  422;   work  of  Christ  in,  421, 

422,  433-435,    480,    482-491. 

see    also    Advent    Movement;    Law; 
Tabernacle  ;   Temple. 
Satan,  efforts  of,   to  indiice  Christians  to 

compromise    with    world,    49,    50, 

298. 
arts  of,    192,    193,   518,   519. 
satisfaction   of,    in   horrors   of  Reign 

of    Terror,    284. 
policy  of,   3  78. 
the  accuser,   395,   484. 
position   and   beauty   of,    before   fall, 

493-495. 
disaffection    and    rebellion    of,    494- 

500. 
long-suffering   of   God    with,    496. 
rebellion    of,    a    les.son    to    universe, 

499. 
character  of  God  misrepresented  by, 

281,    498,    500,    502. 
character  of,    501,    502. 
self-exaltation     of,     504,     554. 
enmity    of,    toward    man,    505,    510. 
danger     in     denying     existence     of, 

516,    524. 
importance     of     having     right     esti- 
mate   of,    516,    517. 
power   and  malice   of,    517. 
present    at    worship    of    God,    518. 
jjowcr    of,    to    show    appearance    of 

departed     friends,     552,     560;     to 

ai)pear  as   angel  of  light,    588. 
ability    of,    to    quote    Scripture,    559. 
work  of,  through  elements,  589,  590. 
compulsion    the    resort    of,    591, 
to  personate   Christ,    624. 
binding   of,    658-660. 
sins    of    God's    people    to    be    placed 

upon,  658,  673. 
judgment  of,  661. 
last  struggle  of,  for  supremacy,  663, 

664,    671,    672. 
acknowledges  justice  of  his  sentence, 

669,    670. 
see      also      Evil      spirits;       Lucifer; 

Snares  of   Satan. 
Saxons  in   Great    Britain,   62,    63. 
Saxony,   Bohemians  flee  to,   254. 
Scandinavia,  progress  of  the  Reformation 

in,    241-244. 
proclamation    of    advent    message    in, 

366. 
child-preachers     in,     366,     367. 
Scapegoat,  in  sanctuary  service,  419,  420. 

Satan   tjpified   by,    422,    485,    658. 
Schism,  the  Great,  see  Popes. 
Science,  research  into,  sometimes  a  snare 

of    Satan,    522. 
false,    to    prepare    way    for    papacy, 

573. 


714 


GENERAL    INDEX 


Science  —  continued. 

not   a   true    foundation   for   religious 
belief,   595. 
Scoffers,  in  Noah's  time,  338. 

in  Miller's  time,   339,   340,  404,   408, 

429. 
in  last  days,   561,  635,  642. 
Scotland,    a   refuge   for  persecuted   Chris 
tians,    62. 
persecutions    in,    249,    250. 
work  of   Knox  in,   250,   251. 
Scriptures,    the    detector    of    error,    51. 
study    of,    80,    81,    598,    599,    600. 
Wycliffe    demands    restoration    of,    to 

people,    81. 
infallibility  of,   89,   249. 
WolflP    on    popular    system    of    inter- 
pretation of,   360. 
study  of,   danger  of  neglecting,   510, 

521. 
fanciful  interpretations  of,   520,  521. 
a    safeguard.    559,    593-603. 
see  also  Bible;  Word  of  God. 
Seal  of  God,   613,   640. 

Second    advent    of    Christ,    foretold,     39, 
454. 
hope    of   believers    in    all    ages,    299- 

303. 
signs   of,    304-316,    333,    334. 
warning    of,    why    not    committed    fo 

religious    leaders,    315. 
manner  of,    321. 
taught    in    Scriptures,    321-323. 
time    of,    324;    not    known    by    men, 
457;     error     in     regard     to,     328, 
368,    482. 
warning  of,   rejected.   338,   339,   366. 
proclamation   of,    352-354. 
preached  by  ,Tosei>h  Wolflf,  359,   360: 
William      Miller,      329-333,      352 
354,    308-374. 
belief       in,       found       in       Bokhara, 

Yemen,   and   Tartary,    361,    362. 
taught   in    England,    South    America. 
Germany,      Prance,      Switzerland, 
Scandinavia,    362-367. 
preparation    for,    in    1844,    401-403. 
false   theory   of,    525. 
manner   of,    cannot   be-  counterfeited 

by   Satan,    625. 
scenes  of,   636-644. 
see   also    Advent    Movement;    Christ: 
Prophecy;    Prophecies. 
Second    angel's   message,    381-390. 
Second     commandment,     expunged     from 

law  by  papacy,   52. 
Secret^  of  God,   men  not  to  search   into, 

523. 
Self-depreciation,   477. 
Self-exaltation,      Luther      removed      from 
danger  of,    170. 
danger  from,    471,   494-499,   503. 
Self-indulgence,    473-475,    488. 
Self-justification,   of   Satan,   499. 

of   sinners   to-day,    500. 
Self  sufficiency,    509. 
Sennacherib,   512. 


Seventh-day     Adventists,     409-422,     429- 
432. 
proclamation    of    final    warning    bv, 

603-612. 
see   also   Law;    People  of  God;    Sab- 
bath;    Sanctuary;     Third     angel's 
message. 
Seventy    weeks,    prophecy    of,    324,    328, 

345-347,    410. 
Sigismund,    104-108,    115-118,    163. 
Signs    of    second    advent,     304-316,    391, 
456. 
Lisbon  earthquake,  304,   305. 
darkening    of    sun    and    moon,    306- 

308. 
condition    of   churches,    309,    310. 
falling   of    the    stars,    333,    334. 
see  also  Prophecies. 
Simon  Magus,    128. 
Sin,    definition   of,    472. 
origin    of,    492-502. 
love  of,   508. 
end  of,    504,    545. 
remission    of,    in    sanctuary    service, 

417,    418,    421,    425. 
see   also   Evil;    Satan. 
Sins,    secret,    revealed    in    judgment,    486. 
blotting  out  of,  from  books  in  heaven, 
421,    432,    484-486,    614. 
Skepticism,    sec    Infidelity. 
Snares   of    Satan,    518  530. 

in    worldly    business,    519. 
self-gratification,    519. 
in  appeals  to  appetite,   474. 
neglect    of   prayer   and    Bible   study. 

519,    525. 
accusing  of  brethren,   519. 
unconverted    church-members,    520. 
false  theories,   520,   523. 
wresting    and    perverting    of    Scrip- 
ture,   520,   521. 
liberality   of   religious   belief,    522. 
scientific    research,    522. 
unwise   speculations,    522,    523. 
Spiritualism,    524. 
denial    of    pre-existence    of    Christ, 

524. 
false   teaching  regarding   second   ad- 
vent,   525. 
Society,   condition   of,    in   last    daj-s,    583- 
'  586. 

corruption     in,     attributed    to     Sun- 
day   desecration,    587. 

Sodom,    warning    rejected    by,    431,    513 

spiritual,    269. 
Solomon,    509. 
Sopnie   Arnoult,    270. 
South    America,    proclamation    of    advent 

message  in,   363. 
Spain,    Luther's    writings    in,    139. 

earthquake    felt    in,    304. 
Spalatin,    165. 

.Speculation,    human,    126,    522. 
Spires,    Diet  of,    197-210. 

protest  of,    197-204. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


715 


Spirit    of    God,    when    to    be    withdrawn 
from   earth,    G15. 
see   also   Ploly   Spirit;    Pentecost. 
Spirit   manifestations,    552,    560. 
the  rapping  delusion,   553. 
made  to  take  place  of  Bible,   557. 
see    also    Kvil    spirits;    Spiritualism. 
Spirits,    to   be   tried   by    Bible,    307. 
agency   of  evil,   511-517. 
communion   with,    forbidden,    556. 
uphold    Sunday    observance,    591. 
Spiritualism,    551-562. 

one      of      Satan's      most      successful 

agencies,   524,    552,    561,   562. 
converts   to,    where   found,    556. 
erroneous  teaching  of,   555-558. 
leads   to    self-indulgence    and   excess, 

555,    603,    604. 
assuming  Christian  guise,  558. 
deceptive   power   of,    558,    559,    588. 
Scriptures  a  safeguard  against,  559. 
miracles     to     be     wrought     through, 

588,    589. 
see  also  Angels;  Evil  Spirits;  Satan; 
Spirit    manifestations. 
Spurgeon,    on    sacramentarianism    in    the 

Church  of   England,   384. 
Standard-bearers,    55. 
Star,  seen  at  deliverance  of  God's  people; 

638. 
Stars,    falling   of,    333,    334. 

see  also   Signs. 
State,  duty  of,   201. 

see    also    Church    and   state;    United 
States. 
Staupitz,    123. 

St.    Bartholomew    massacre,    272,    273. 
Stephen,    328. 

Suffrage   in   the  United  States,   297. 
Sun,    darkening   of,    305-308. 

see  also   Signs. 
Sunday,   made  a  public  festival,   53. 

given    place    of    Sabbath    by    Rome, 

53,    447,    448. 
origin    of    observance    of,    54,    474- 

477. 
no  scriptural  evidence  for,  434,  435. 
observance  of,   an   act  of  homage   to 
Rome,    442,    448,    449,    579,    580. 
not   the   Lord's   day,   447. 
enforcement    of,    in    United    States, 

573. 
first  law  for  observance  of,   574. 
so-called  miracles  in  support  of,  575, 

576. 
observance   of,    in   future,    to   be   en- 
forced   by     law,     449,     573,     579, 
592. 
movement   in   United   States,    587. 
accusations  against  non-observers  of, 

587,    590. 
spirit    manifestations    in    support   of, 

591. 
to  be  declared  sacred  by  Satan  when 

personating  Christ,   624. 
see   also   Mark ;    Sabbath. 
Supremacy  of  Rome,  see  Papacy. 


Sweden,    gospel   welcomed   to,    243. 

work  of  the  Petri  brothers  in,   242, 
243. 

work  of,  in  Thirty  Years'  War,  244. 

Reformation    in,    243,    244. 

second  advent  message  in,  366,  367. 
Switzerland,    missionaries   to,    62. 

Luther's    writings    in,    139. 

advent   message   proclaimed   in,    364. 
Symbols    of    prophecy,    interpretation    of, 

438-445,    578. 
Syria,   travels   of  Wolfif  in,    300. 

Tabernacle,    of   Moses,    411-415. 

replaced  by  temple  of  Solomon,  412. 
destruction    of,    by    Romans,    17-38, 

412. 
the  sanctuary  of  first  covenant,  413. 
services    in,    a    shadow   of   heavenly, 

433. 
see  also   Sanctuary. 
Talent,    proper   use    of,    487. 
use  of,   by   Satan,   509. 
Tarrying  time,    398-408. 

a  trial  of  patience,   392,   393. 
a  fulfilment   of   prophecy,    407,    408. 
Tausen,    "Reformer    of    Denmark,"    char- 
acter   and    work    of,    241,    242. 
imprisonment    of,    242. 
Temperance  Avork  and  the  Sunday  move- 
ment,  587. 
Temple  of  Solomon,  beauty  of,  17,  18,  23. 
history   of,    24    (note),    412. 
destruction  of,  beheld  by  Christ,  21. 
second,      made      more      glorious      by 

presence    of    (Christ,    24. 
overthi'ow   of,    predicted,    24,    25. 
destroyed  by  Titus,   31-35,  412. 
scenes    at   destruction   of,    30-35. 
see  also   Sanctuary. 
Temple   in   heaven,    God's   dwelling-place, 
414,    415. 
sanctuary  of  new  covenant,  413. 
opened,   433. 
see   also    Law,    moral. 
Temptation,   of  Christ,    50,    51,   510. 
of  Waldensian  youth,  70. 
how  to  resist,    510,    600. 
why   permitted,    528-530. 
of  Adam  and  Eve  in  Eden,  531,  532. 
Ten   virgins,    parable   of,    393,    394,    400- 

402. 
Terror    of    wicked    at    advent    of    Christ, 

636-644. 
Test,  of  world,   in   giving  of  advent  mes- 
sage,   353,    354. 
of    Adventists,    in    disappointment   of 

1844,    373,    374. 
of     loyalty     to     God,      Sabbath     the 
great,    605. 
Tetzpl,    sale   of    indulgences   by,    127-129, 

178. 
Theology,    popular,    opposed    by    Luther, 
^126. 
re.sult   of,    525. 
Theories,    false,    a    snare    of    Satan,    520 
525. 


716 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Theses    of    Luther    against    indulgences, 
129,    130. 
discussion   aroused  by,    130. 
Thessalonian    church,    Paul's    advice    to, 

456,    457. 
Third    angel's    message,    432,    435,    437- 
450. 
the  last  to   go   to  the  world,    390. 
fearful  threatening  of,   449. 
extent  of,    450. 
to   be    proclaimed   with   power,    605, 

606. 
close   of,    marks   beginning   of    "time 

of    trouble,"    613. 
see   also   People   of   God ;    Prophecy ; 
Prophecies;    Signs. 
Thirty   Years'    War,    part   of    Sweden    in, 

244. 
Thousand   years,    see   Millennium. 

work  of  redeemed  during,   660,  661. 
Threefold  message,   450,   453. 
"Time  of  trouble,"   613-634. 

warning    regarding,    310,    311. 
beginning   of,    613. 
soon    to   open,    622. 
scenes  of,    623,    624. 
e.Nporience  of  people  of  God  in,  615- 
634. 
Time-setting,    457. 
Tithing,    475. 
Titus,   in  siegr-  of  .Terusalem,   21,  31-35. 

humanity    of,    32-34. 
Tobacco,    474,    475. 

Toleration,     not     a     precept     of     Roman 
Church,    564. 
see  also  Religious  liberty. 
Traditions   acknowledged   as   authority   by 

Rome,    183,    448. 
Translation,   of   Bible,   see   Bible. 

of  righteous  at   second  advent,   645, 
646. 
Transubstantiation,    238. 
Trial,   object  of,   291,   621. 

see  also  Test. 
Tree  of  life,   532. 
Trust  in  God,  need  for,  527. 
Truth,  spread  of,   in  time  of  persecution, 
42,    95,    96,    101,    196,    240,    249, 
634. 
opposition   to,    458-460. 
men  moved  to  search  Bible  for,   79, 

81. 
Rome   contending  against,    90. 
progressive  nature  of,  291,  292,  297. 
why  not  revealed  to  great  men,  310. 
proper  attitude  toward,   378-380. 
need  of  searching  for,  522,  598. 
counterfeits   of,    523,    528. 
see  also   Sabbath;    Sanctuary;   Third 
angel's    message. 
Truths,    development    of  new,    609. 
Turkish    empire,    see    Ottoman    empire. 
Twelve   hundred   and   sixty   years,   begin- 
ning of,   54,   266,   439. 


Twenty-three    hundred    years,    exposition 
of,    324-329,     351-353,    398,     409, 
410,    417,    429,    457. 
end    of,    marks    opening    of    investi- 
gative   judgment,    423,    424,    486. 
see    also    Miller ;    Prophecy ;    Sanctu- 
ary. 
Two-horned    beast,    United    States    repre- 
sented   by,    439-443. 
see   also  United   States. 
Two      witnesses,      prophecy      concerning, 
266-287. 
see  also  Bible;    Scriptures. 
Tyndale,   work  of,   245-247. 
martyrdom   of,    247. 
on   sleep   of   the   dead,    547. 
Tj'pes,   see  Sanctuary. 

Unbelief,   result  of   cherishing,   527,    528. 

Union,    of   Christians   and   pagans,   45. 

of  church  and  state,  297,  442,  445, 
450,    607. 

of  church  and  world,   390. 

of  all  Protestant  churches,  444,  445. 

of    Protestantism,    Spiritualism,    and 
Roman   Catholicism,    588. 
United  Brethren,    119. 
United    States,    religious   liberty    in,    295. 

growth  of,  295,  296. 

government   of,    297. 

dark   day   seen    in,    306-308. 

falling    stars    seen    in,    333,    334. 

-lo.seph  Wolffs  visit  to,   360. 

represented  in  prophecy  by  two- 
horned   beast,    439,    440. 

rise  of,   440,   441. 

characteristics  of,   441. 

once  an  asylum  for  the  oppressed, 
441,    442. 

Constitution    of,    442. 

to  enact  oppressive  laws,   442,    579. 

prediction  of  supremacy  of  Rome 
in,   578,   579. 

Sunday   movement   in,    587. 

see    also    Mark    of    the    beast;    Prot- 
estants;   Puritans;    Religious    lib- 
erty ;    Two-horned    beast. 
Unity   among  advent  believers,   379. 
Universalism,   fallacy   of,   537-539. 

a    Universalist   minister   on   state   of 
the  dead,   537-539. 
University   of    Erfurt,    Luther   a    student 
at,    121,    122. 

of    Paris,    Lefevre   in,    212,    217. 

of   Prague,    Huss   In,   98-100. 

of  Wittenberg,  Luther  and  Me- 
lanchthon  as  professors  in,  124- 
126,    134. 

Vaudois,    see   Waldenses. 
Virgin  Mary,   43,   58,   174,   175,  217. 
Voice,     from     heaven,     heard     by     God's 
people,    636. 
of  God  declares  hour  of  Jesus'  com- 
ing,   640. 
Voltaire,    intidelity  of,    281. 

boast  of,    against   Christianity,    288. 


GENERAL   INDEX 


717 


Waldenses,    61-78. 

among    the    first    to    obtain    transla- 
tion of  Bible,   65. 
training  of  youth  of,   66-68. 
authority    of     Bible     recognized     by, 

68,    72. 
diligence   of,    in    copying    Bible,    69. 
jouth    of,     sent    to     institutions     of 

learning,     70. 
belief  of,  in  second  advent,   72,  303. 
self-sacrificing   missionary   labors    of, 

70-76,   237. 
results  of  work  of,   71-76. 
persecution    of,    76-78,    97. 
Sabbath-keepers    among,    577. 
see   also   Albigenses ;    Heretics. 
War,   delight  of  Satan   in,   589. 
Warning,     last    message    of,     311,     312, 
390,    432,    435,    604-612. 
to   be   given    to    all,    38,    605. 
of  judgment  to  come,   352,   353. 
rejection    of,    375-390,    431. 
against   worship    of   beast,    445. 
most  fearful  ever  given  to  men,  449. 
will  be  heeded  by  leading  men,   611. 
see  also  Third  angel's  message. 
Warnings,    importance    of,    594. 
Wartburg,  Luther  concealed  in,   168-170, 

185-193. 
Washburn,     Governor,     on     church     gam- 
bling,   387. 
Watchman,    false,    first    to    suffer    at    the 

end,    656. 
Waters  or  sea,   as  a  symbol,   440. 
Wedding    garment,     428. 
Week,  length  of,  changed  by  France,  273. 
Wesley,    Charles,    missionarv   to    America, 
254. 
trusting  to  good  works  for  s.alvutiun, 
253,    254. 
Wesley,     John,     missionary    to     America, 
254. 
acceptance  of  righteousness  by  failh, 

255,  250. 
work    of,    256-258. 
guarded   by    an    angel,    253. 

law  of  God  upheld  by,   262-264. 

results  of  work  of,   264. 

wiles  of  Satan  encountered  by,   396. 

on  right  use  of  money,   385. 

see  also  Methodists. 

Whitefield,  a  missionarv  to  America,  253, 

256,  257. 

Wicked,    how   restrained,    36. 

why  permitted  to   prosjier,   4  8. 

end   of,    544,    545. 

terror    and    remorse    of,    at    second 
advent,    37,    635,    644. 

resurrection    of,    661. 

sentence    pronounced    upon,    660. 

destruction    of,     673. 

see    also    Judgments;    Kvil. 
Wiles    of    Satan,    see    Satan;     Snares    of 

Satan. 
Will,    freedom   of,    see   Freedom. 
Williams,   Roger,   apostle  of  religious  lib- 
erty,   293. 

work   and   banishment   of,    294. 


Winds,    prophetic,    symbol    of    war,    440. 
Wine  of  Babylon,   meaning  of,    388. 

application    of,    389,    536. 
Winter,     Robert,     advent     message     pro- 
claimed by,   in   England,    362. 
Wise   men,    see    Magi. 
Wishart,    250. 

Witchcraft,    Spiritualism  a  form  of,   556. 
Wittenbach,   a  teacher  at  Ba.sel,   173. 
Wittenberg,    students    of,    carried    Refor- 
mation    to     .Scandinavia,     241. 
see  also  Luther;    University  of  Wit- 
tenberg. 
Wolflf,    Dr.    Joseph,    parentage    and   early 
years  of,    357. 
education   of,    357,    358. 
message     of     second     advent     given 

by,    359,    360. 
work   and  travels  of,    300-362. 
Woman  as  a  symbol,   55,   381,   382. 
Word  of   God,   weapon  of  Christ  against 
Satan,    51. 
medium    of    communication    between 

God  and  man,   69,    79. 
results    following    the    preaching    of, 

461. 
our   onlv   safety   in   time   of   trouble, 

625. 
attitude   of   Roman    Catholic   Church 

toward,    81. 
see   also   Bible ;    Scriptures. 
Works,   righteousness  by,   55,   56. 
salvation   by,    253. 
see  also  Faith ;   Wesley. 
World,  condition  of,  under  papal  rule,  60. 
religious,     condition     of,     390,     586, 

603,    604. 
following  in  steps  of  Jews,   36-33. 
end   of,    653-078. 
Worldliness    in     nominal    churches,     376- 

390,    508. 
Worms,   see   Diet;    Luther. 
Worship,   of  beast,   see   Leopard  beast, 
of  Reason,   193,  275,  276. 
of  God  prohibited  in  France,   274. 
freedom   of,    see   Religious   liberty. 
Writings,    of    Christians,    suppression   of, 
in   Dark   Ages,    61. 
of   Wycliffe,    89,    96,    249. 
of   Luther,    circulation   of,    133,    139, 
178,    194,    233;    condemnation    of, 
at    Worms,    155,    156 ;    he    refuses 
to     retract     them,     158-160;     read 
eagerly,      1S5,-    186,      194,      195; 
translated    into    French,     231;     in 
Netlu'rlaiuls,    238;    read    by    Tau- 
sen,    241;    in    England,    249. 
of    Bunyan,    250. 
of   Flavel,    253. 
of  Baxter,   253. 
of  Miller,   335,   368. 
of   Ijacunza,    363. 
of  Bengel,   364. 
of   Gaussen,    365. 
on   second   advent,   3G2. 
.s^-t'    also    Books;    Literature. 
WyclitTe,    John,    79-96. 

herald   of   reform,    80. 
scholarship   of,    8U. 


718 


GENERAL   INDEX 


Wycliffe  —  continued. 

study    of    Scriptures    by,    80,    81. 
fearlessness    of,    in    exposing    claims 

of  papacy,    81. 
battle  of,   against  friars,   82-85. 
as    ambassador    to    Netherlands,    84, 

85. 
influence    of,    on    court    and    nation, 

84,    85. 
protected  by   God,    86,    92. 
teacher  at  Oxford,  "the  Gospel  Doc- 
tor,"   87. 
illness  of,    87,    88. 
translation  of  Bible  into  English  bv, 

88. 
doctrines   taught  by,    89. 
persecution    of,    by   papacy,    89. 
trials   of,    by   papacy,    85,    89,    90. 
ri'fusal   of,    to    retract,    90. 
arraignment    of    bis    persecutors    by, 

90. 
summoned  to  Rome,   91. 
letter  of,    to   pope,   91,    92. 
work   of,    93. 
character   of,    93,    94. 
death  of,  92. 

writings    of,    in    Bohemia,    99. 
belief  of,  iu  second  coming  uf  Christ, 

iOi. 


Wycliffites,  see  Lollards. 

Yemen,  Wolff's  travels  in,  362. 
Youth,   Waldensian,   training   of,    67,    68, 
70,   71. 

influence  of  monastic  life  on,  82,  83 

infidelity  of,    600,   601. 

as   princes    of   heaven,    622. 

Ziska,   defends  Bohemia   against  army  of 
Sigismund,     116, 

death  of,   116. 
Zurich,    Zwingle's    labors    at,    176-181. 

peace  in,  a  result  of  the  gospel,  181. 

council    of,     refuse    to    take    action 
against    Zwingle,    180,    181. 

disputation     at,     between     Eck     and 
CEcolampadius,    132-184. 
Zwingle,    Ulric,    171-184. 

early  surroundings  of,    171,   172. 

designs  of  friars  upon,    172. 

acceptance  of   Bible   as   rule  of  con- 
duct  by,    173,    174. 

work  of,   at  Einsiedeln,   174-176. 

work   of,    at   Zurich,    176-182. 

efforts  of  Rome  against,  180-184. 

death  uf,   212, 


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